Venita Carol Wood
October 11, 1937 ~ September 14, 2017
The third child of five, born to James and Vera Fletcher, on October 11, 1937 in Grand Junction, Colorado, was our wonderful Pinki , or Nita to her family. She and her siblings were raised in Palisade, surrounded by peaches and table top mesas.
She is preceded in death by her Husband Donald A Wood(Woody), Father, Mother, Brother Jimmy, and 2 half Sisters Louise Popavich and Marie Perkins.
She attended the local elementary school in Palisade, but for high school, she attended Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado.
In 1955, she met the love of her life Donald “Woody” Wood. They were married on October 7, 1956. A year later, they were blessed with a son, born on October 4, 1957: Donald James. As fate would have it, 13 months later, their little girl was born on November 22, 1958: DaLinda Mae. And finally, oops, 22 months later Bonnie Booboo (Charlene) was born on August 18, 1960. Pinki was a saint to put up with Woody for 46 years, and he adored her charms and quick wit.
She was a stay at home mom until all of her children attended elementary school. After her kids went to school in the morning, she would go make tortillas at El Madero Mexican restaurant off Sante Fe and Evans. She made five cents a tortilla, and at 100 tortillas a day, she made $5 a day. She would use the money to buy a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, a bunch of bananas, a sack of potatoes, and beans. Man, they ate a lot of beans!
She then got her GED at the age of 32, worked for the State of Colorado as a certified nurse’s assistant. She continued to work for the State of Colorado until she and Woody started a little welding business in 1972. She became the CEO of Woody’s Welding Service, and held that title until the business closed in 2003. As the CEO, she was well known for wearing her bright pink hard hat on job sites. That meant business! All her children were involved in the business, and often her grandchildren helped with small tasks like licking stamps and sweeping the shop, for twenty-five cents a task. She instilled the value of hard work in her children and grand-children from a very early age.
Woody decided to become a Mason, joining Rob Morris Lodge, and after going through the degrees became a Shriner, and a Knights Templar. This is what brought Pinki into the Daughters of the Nile, Social Order of the Beauceant, Eastern Star and Amarath. She was very devoted to these groups, and loved them immensely. Philanthropy was where her heart sang. Pinki became Queen of the Daughters of the Nile, first in 1998. She then became Queen an unprecedented second time in 2014.
Woody and Pinki were involved with the Shrine Nobel Cycles; riding their motorcycle from coast to coast, as well as to Mexico and Canada.
In November of 1981, Pinki & Woody welcomed their first grandchild, Lacey. The following year in April 1982, their second grandchild, Dean, was born. In 1985, Shelby was born, and in 1990 her last grandchild was born, Logan. She has 7 great-grandchildren: Samantha, Rebecca, Makenzie, Kayden, Cameron, Xander and a little girl on the way, due February 2018!
Pinki and Woody made many memorable adventures and experiences with their children, and grandchildren. Pinki had a wonderful time with the grandchildren and great-children! She adored each of these generations, supporting them in their every endeavor, encouraging their dreams, and nudging them towards greatness.
We know that because of her incredible influence, both in her family, and in the community she served, she is loved and cherished by many. She will be greatly missed.
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