REVA HELENE WOOD
REVA HELENE WAS THE FIRST OF NINE CHILDREN BORN TO EVERETT AND NANCY BRANSON IN ROLLA. REVA FELL IN LOVE AND MARRIED RONALD E. WOOD, JR., A STUDENT AT ROLLA SCHOOL OF MINES. THE COUPLE MOVED TO FLAT RIVER WHERE RONALD DID ORE TESTING FOR ST. JOE. TWO CHILDREN WERE BORN HERE, RONALD, JR. AND BEVERLY DEBORAH. BECAUSE OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION, RONALD AND REVA MOVED TO SWEETWATER, TENNESSEE, WHERE RONALD WORKED IN BARITE MINES FOR HIS DAD, L.A. WOOD. SUSAN JANE WAS BORN IN SWEETWATER. IN 1947 THE FAMILY MOVED TO POTOSI. REVA JUNE WAS BORN AND DIED AT THREE MONTHS. THE FAMILY MOVED TO DESOTO WHERE CHARLES LEE WAS BORN. THEY CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF MARRIAGE IN 1979. REVA RAN THE WOOD BOARDING HOME FOR OVER 20 YEARS. AT RONALD'S DEATH IN 1984, REVA AND SUSAN MOVED TO POTOSI AT SWEETWATER VALLEY ACRES WHERE SUSAN WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE WITH HER SISTER BEVERLY.
REVA IS SURVIVED BY ONE SON, REVEREND RONALD E. WOOD, JR AND WIFE MARIE OF ST. JOSEPH; TWO DAUGHTERS, BEVERLY SIMPSON AND HUSBAND ROBERT OF POTOSI, SUSAN JANE WOOD OF POTOSI; TEN GRANDCHILDREN, TWENTY-TWO GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, EIGHT GREAT GREAT GRANDCHILDREN; THREE BROTHERS, EVERETT BRANSON OF CALIFORNIA, ELMER BRANSON OF CALIFORNIA, CECIL BRANSON AND WIFE SHIRLEY OF VIRGINIA; TWO SISTERS, MARTHA JONES OF ILLINOIS, NANCY JANE COPELAND OF JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI AND BY MANY OTHER RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER PARENTS WILLIAM EVERETT AND NANCY ISABELLE (BURTON) BRANSON; HER HUSBAND, RONALD E. WOOD, SR.; ONE DAUGHTER, REVA JUNE WOOD; ONE SON, CHARLES LEE WOOD; ONE GRANDSON, MARK EVERETT WOOD; TWO GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, JOANNA RACHEL SIMPSON AND CLAY MCKINLEY SIMPSON, JR.; ONE SISTER, THELMA KRATTLEY; TWO BROTHERS, RAYMOND AND LEE ARNOLD BRANSON.
REVA, A DEDICATED WIFE, CARING MOTHER, LOVING GRANDMOTHER, TRUSTED FRIEND AND AN OPTIMIST. SHE WAS BORN A NATURAL COOK AND HOME MAKER. REVA LOVED FAMILY GATHERINGS, CHURCH MUSIC, BANDS IN PARADES AND HER EASTERN STAR WORK. SHE HAD TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL, BIBLE SCHOOL AND HELD MISSIONARY STUDIES IN HER HOME. REVA LOVED THE LORD, ENJOYED HER SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS AND TRUSTED THE LORD TO TAKE HER INTO HIS ETERNAL REST.
VISITATION WAS HELD MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1999, FROM 5:30 P.M. TO 9:00 P.M. AT MOORE FUNERAL HOME IN POTOSI.
FUNERAL SERVICES WERE CONDUCTED TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1999, AT THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN POTOSI WITH REVEREND STANLEY PAYNE OFFICIATING. BURIAL WAS IN CHARTER MEMORIAL GARDENS, DESOTO, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MOORE FUNERAL HOME, POTOSI.
SERVING AS PALLBEARERS WERE, BEVERLY WOOD, JR., ROBERT SIMPSON, CLAY SIMPSON, RUSS KNOBELOCH, TIMOTHY WRIGHT AND KENNY PRICE.