Mary Janice Wood

Mary Janice (“Jan”) Wood, 88, of Overland Park, KS, passed away on Friday, July 21, 2023. Her memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m., Friday, July 28, 2023, at the Johnson County Funeral Chapel and Memorial Gardens, 11200 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS 66210.

            Jan was born on December 30, 1934, in Lawton, Oklahoma. She graduated from Southeastern State College with a bachelor's degree in English, earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Kansas, and earned a Master of Library Science at Emporia State University. She taught English, Speech, and Journalism for many years at Shawnee Mission North High School and was the school librarian at Shawnee Mission East High School for close to 30 years, retiring in 2000.

            Jan was a volunteer usher at the Folly Theater for close to 20 years on a team with other schoolteachers and school librarians. She really enjoyed the friendships and found this rewarding. She enjoyed music, playing the piano and singing in church choirs, including the Grace Covenant Presbyterian choir for several years. She loved dogs and was an avid Chiefs and K-State football fan (and a Royals fan when they won the World Series).

            She is preceded in death by her parents, Jay and Ruth Owen, and her husband of 56 years, Rex G. Wood. She is survived by her daughter Leslie Wood of Overland Park; her son Glenn Charles (known to Jan as “Charlie”), and his wife LeAnn Gish Wood of Houston, TX; her brother-in-law David Wood of Overland Park; and three grandsons Brian, Kevin, and Ethan of Houston, TX who knew her as “Gran.”

            Friends and family will greatly miss Jan’s contagious smile, sense of humor, and enthusiasm.

The family wishes to express its thanks to Garden Terrace Overland Park and KC Hospice for their excellent, attentive care for Jan during her stays with them.

            The family requests donations to the Wayside Waifs 3901 Martha Truman Road Kansas City, MO 64137 or the Alzheimer’s Association in lieu of flowers.