Helen Ruth Wood

Helen Ruth Phillips Wood, 83, of Phenix City, AL passed away Monday afternoon, April 30, 2018 at St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, GA.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 am EDT at Philadelphia Baptist Church on Friday, May 4, 2018 with Rev. Skip Speed officiating.  Interment will follow at the church cemetery.  The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm EDT at Vance Memorial Chapel (Vance Brooks Funeral Home) in Phenix City.

Mrs. Wood was born April 21, 1935 in Anniston, AL to the late Walter Charlie Phillips and Mildred “Bertha” Graham Crawley.  She was employed with the Civil Service at Ft. Benning, GA and was retired with many years of loyal service.  She was the Queen Mother of the Red Hats Society “Bells in Dixie”, she served on the Bereavement Committee and the Kitchen Committee of the church, and a was a member of the Harvesters Sunday School Class.  She was faithful member of Philadelphia Baptist Church in Smiths Station.  Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by two sons, Charles Gary Sanders, and James “Eddie” Wood two sisters, Esther Smallwood, and Charlotte Green, and two brothers, Andrew Phillips and Hubert “Hugh” Phillips.

She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 45 years, William Earl Wood, Sr., two daughters, Yja Sanders, and Guieth “Beth” Wood Little, five sons, George Sanders and Christie, Walter Sanders and wife Sally, Edward “Pete” Peterson and wife Lisa, William Earl “Billy” Wood, Jr. and wife Anna, and Andrew Paul “Andy” Wood; one sister, Yja C. Peters, (16) grandchildren, (14) great grandchildren, a host of nieces and nephews, extended family, church family, and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Philadelphia Baptist Church Building Fund in loving memory of Mrs. Helen Wood.