Patricia Ruth Wilkerson Wood's Obituary
Patricia Ruth Wilkerson Wood of Cordova, Tennessee, born October 14, 1947, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2026. Funeral services will be held on March 17, 2026, at Memorial Park Funeral Home, followed by burial at Memorial Park Southwoods. Patricia was the only child of Floyd Wilkerson and Ruby Donaldson Wilkerson, both of whom preceded her in death. On August 9, 1970, she married her beloved husband, Rev. Dr. Robert Stanley Wood, and together they shared 55 years of devoted marriage.
Patricia made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ at the age of twelve and joined Harmon Chapel, Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America. After her marriage, she became an active member of several congregations her husband pastored, including Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Florence, Alabama; Chelsea Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama; and Mt. Tabor Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Tennessee. Music was one of Patricia’s greatest joys, and blessed with a beautiful voice, she sang in church choirs wherever she served. At the time of her passing, she was a faithful member of Mt. Tabor, where she sang in the choir, served on the Christian Education Committee, worked as secretary of the Sunday School, and contributed her time to the Hospitality and Church Meals Committee.
Patricia earned an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing from East Tennessee State University in 1970. Throughout her career, she demonstrated compassion and commitment in her work as a Registered Nurse. She served in numerous medical practices, including the Charles Retina Institute in Memphis, the Campbell Clinic in Germantown, North Alabama Home Health in Huntsville, and the practices of Dr. Carl L. Palmer, Dr. Alan Dowd, and Dr. Gil M. Kinzer in Huntsville. Her patients and colleagues alike cherished her professionalism, kindness, and gentle spirit.
Patricia will be remembered for her warm personality, uplifting humor, and her genuine ability to connect with others—so much so that many said she “never met a stranger.” She leaves behind her devoted husband, Stan; her children, Kevin (Lisa) Wood and Diantha Wood Lozan; and her grandson, Lance Christopher Wood. She is also survived by her first cousins—Bruce, Leslie, and Jerome Wilkerson of Knoxville; Edna Ratledge (Freddie), Jeanette Hogans, Cynthia Melton, and Sarah Jean (Jimmy) Brown of Philadelphia; David and Brigina Wilkerson of Knoxville; along with numerous extended family members living in Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. She also leaves many cherished friends across the country, especially within the congregations of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America, most notably among the membership of Mt. Tabor CPCA.
Patricia’s life was one defined by faith, love, compassion, and song. Her presence blessed countless lives, and her memory will remain a source of comfort and joy to all who knew her.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38119 (901) 767-8930.
“Where Memphis comes to remember, since 1924.”
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