Words from Brad Wood
I
wan
I'd
like to thank each and every one of you here today for being a part of Randy’s
life.
He
loved his family and you his friends. And we loved him back!!!
We
will miss him dearly ---Today ---
we are here to celebrate Randy’s
life----
And
share our lives with him.
“
You You only live once – but if you work it right—once is enough !!
Where
do you begin in trying to talk about Randy Wood
?
Craftsman
----
an avid hunter & fisherman ---a loving
father—his trucks ---
The
women in his life --- cooking --- his books. --- and many more……..
I’ve
had the great fortune of being with him my whole life!!!
My
list of stories span my whole life --- there is one I think of often—
For
years I shared a room with Randy until his senior year in high School.
He
was an artist even then.---He had the lower bunk & I the top.
He
would stay up till 2—3 o clock in the morning drawing and painting
ALL
the time smoking one cigarette after another
--- in a cloud of smoke --right below me.
– And he took great pleasure in kicking the
Under
side of my mattress – launching me out and down to the floor.---finally
I
would wedge my arm between the wall and mattress so as to keep me up there
I
have many memories of Randy thru out our lives together—
and
many things remind me of him
But
for me though ----when I think of Randy --- ALWAYS--- I think of laughter ….
“For
him the ability to laugh at life was at the top, (with love and friendship,--)
In
the hierarchy of our needs.---Humor has much to do with pain --- it exaggerates
the anxieties and absurdities we feel--- so that we can gain distance ----
and
thru laughter --- relief…”..
His
stories and jokes were never ending ----weather the stories are true or not ????
Many
of us-- have sat around a camp fire and listened and laughed to the stories that
Randy
spun. ---
ALL you have to do----is
think of something quickly about Randy Wood --- and a smile will come to you
!!!! He
loved making people around him laugh.
Randy
Wood had MANY loves in his life ---1st and foremost--- his son Danny ---
His
Family--- and all of you ( his friends) here today.----- he
loved
fishing & hunting –and telling tall
tales about
both.—he loved cooking for everyone
& all
the women in his life –young and old –his passion for reading -- and
even his work.
I’m
going to touch on a few of these
Randy
Wood and his WOMEN!!!! WOW!!!!!!
Randy
Wood – loved women--& women loved Randy
However
my mom was the only one who could live with him!!!!!!
Young
or old Randy had a way with women. Great sense of humor ---
very
charming and giving—and looked like Santa Claus.
Ladies-----
remember what he would do before giving you a kiss !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He
was a very special person – and he was very protective and loved each of you.
Everyone
of you had a special relationship with Randy.—Each of you will have your own
favorite times to recall of him—do so when you are down --- For Randy could
and will -- Always—bring a smile
back to your day !!!
“A
measurement of life should be proportioned – rather to the intensity of the
experience --- than to it’s actual length!!!!!”
Randy’s
work --- no matter how much he complained about it --- was a gift of love—
Sweat—and
artistry. Randy was much more than just a carpenter—he was a craftsman
For
those of you who have seen his work or have been fortunate enough to have him
build something for you ---- understand how much he cared about his work. He has
worked with many talented people through his life—Steve Navarro—Lary Abbott
–
Steve
Grimillian—and countless tradesman—designers & architects--ALL pooling
their
talents to create something special—something different—something unique.
Like
Randy Wood
Thank
you –each of you--for being his friend
For
those of us who have worked beside him – I can see him standing back – away
from his project – cigarette in hand –sweat soaked—pencil stuck behind his
ear--scratching his beard &
turning
over ideas about how he wanted to continue.
That
yellow paint ---on everything he owned—ya’ll know what I’m talking about.
He
cared a great deal about his customers & the job he was doing for them.
“Nothing
can come out of an artist --- that is not in the man “
That
passion and detail in which Randy had for his work -carried over to his Play
time
Randy
LOVED the outdoors!!!!!
As
you may have noticed many of us here today shared those days with Randy
And
as a tribute – dressed up for him !!!!!
Today
you will hear MANY stories of Randy Wood --- Fishing&Hunting—
Some
true --& some with no documentation or witnesses???
There
are several of us here today who have watched the sun rise with Randy—
He
loved watching a new day start—weather up to his chest in the surf –
or
in a mud hole surrounded by decoys –His whole life revolved around getting
back
to
the outdoors--He taught his and my son how to fish and hunt.-- & how
to appreciate the simple things you see in nature.—
NOW
Randy was a great cook—not a kitchen cook –but a camp fire kind of cook—
Crawfish—goose
gumbo—dove/quail poppers or grilled fish --he could make your mouth water. He
loved to feed people – from himself – Danny & mom-- to 400 at
he
and Steve’s 4th
of July party---.Ken & I have spent many a long night with Randy
sweating
over a pit for countless occasions. And Randy put love into every bite and
detail as he did with all he undertook.---- passing that passion on to Danny---
------so
you now can make our goose gumbo.
“
It is not the years in your life – but the life in your years that counts “
Those
of us who have been with Randy through out his life new he worked hard
and
played just as hard.—He put many a hard mile on that body of his ---You never
wanted
to ask him how he was feeling – because it you would be there for 15 minutes
as
he ran down his list.
Randy’s
body was taken care of about as well as his vehicles!!!!!!!1
Richard
---– if Randy’s doctors were as good as you
were at patching up and getting that
abused truck running--Randy would still be here with us today—
Thank
you Richard.
Each
of us has a part of Randy forever inside of us. Use it well
In
closing I again want to thank each and every one of you on behalf of Danny
& my Family that you could be here today to celebrate with us –and for
being a part of Randy Wood’s life.
He
will be missed by many—and remembered by all.
When
you are down—think of him and laugh
Light
your tomorrow’s with the darkness of today
for
when it is at it’s darkest –you can see the stars