Fredrick Wood, Jr., MD1924 - 2015Fredrick Wood, 91, of Kenosha, passed away peacefully on Monday, May 4, at the Milwaukee Catholic Home.Dr. Wood was born on March 14, 1924, in Indiana, Pa., the son of Fredrick Wood, Sr. and Frances (McKay) Wood. He was educated in the schools of Reno, Nevada and earned his bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Nevada, Reno, where his father was both the head of the math department and his calculus professor. Fredrick served in the army during World War II and in the air force during the Korean War. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago where he met his wife, Verona ("Ronnie") Bucher. They were married on June 15, 1950, in Zumbrota, Minn. After completing his internship and residency at St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago, Dr. Wood opened the first internal medical practice in Kenosha in 1956 and helped recruit other specialists to the city.Dr. Wood served as Chief Of Staff at St. Catherine's Hospital (1976) and as President of the Kenosha Medical Society (1978). He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin State Medical Society. (1981 - 1986) and the long-time Medical Director for G Leblanc Corporation. During his career, he was particularly proud of the fact that he treated three patients who had lock jaw and that all three survived. The treatment of the most severe case required - at his insistence - stopping a major construction project at the hospital for several days in order to protect the patient who was in an iron lung.After almost forty years of private practice and house calls, Dr. Wood traded in his black medical bag for a black clarinet case and became Mr. Jazz. He played clarinet, piano and saxophone throughout southeast Wisconsin. He especially enjoyed his years as a member of the Brass Ball Bangers, playing with pianist Lillian Gildenstern on Saturday nights at the Hob Nob, and playing "Gentle Jazz" with Dr. Robert Crawford at Kenosha area nursing homes.Fredrick was preceded in death by his wife, Ronnie, who he cared for with unstinting devotion during the last years of her life and through the 58th year of their marriage and also by a sister, Dorothy Mae, who died in infancy.Fredrick will be greatly missed by his daughters, Ellen Wood of Chicago, Dr. Carol Wood of Milwaukee, Sara (Mark) Rattan of Menomonee Falls, Judith (Clair) Paul of Neenah; his grandsons, Seth Rattan and Quinn Rattan; his "Colombian son," Guillermo Vallejo; his brother, Donald (Barbara), and many nieces and nephews.The family is extremely grateful to Dr. Richard Borman, Mrs. Patricia Callahan Schmidt, Ms. Barbara Wolter, Dr. Mitchell Ziarko, Dr. Dirk Steinert, Abraham and Dana and Cedrick of the Milwaukee Catholic Home, the entire staff of St. Joseph's Home for the Aged, his long-time caregiver, Altanchimeg Nyam, and for the love and support of all his friends in the Kenosha community.A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 15, at St. John's Lutheran Church, 3833 - 8th Avenue at 12 Noon. Visitation will be held on Friday at the church from 11:30 until the time of the service. (Reception will follow the service.)Memorial remembrances to St. John's Lutheran Church (3833 - 8th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53140), Vision Forward (912 Hawley Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53213) or the Kenosha Band Boosters would be appreciated by the family.
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