Freddie Haas Wood, 80, died on Sunday, April 8th, 2012 from complications after being hospitalized with pneumonia.
Freddie was born in Macon, Ga. on June 2nd, 1931. He was the son of Fred Haas Wood & Martha Grimes Wood. He grew up in Milledgeville, Ga. and attended Georgia Military College High School where he was valedictorian of his class. He also earned the Eagle Scout award as a Boy Scout. He was accepted to West Point, but attended Georgia Military College instead to be close to his mother following his father’s death. After two years at GMC, Freddie transferred to the Georgia Institute of Technology where he earned a BS from the College of Engineering in Textiles in 1952 and a BS from the Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISyE) in 1953. At Ga. Tech, he served as Vice President and President of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, was a member of the Phi Psi National Textile Fraternity, and regularly made the Dean’s List.
Following his graduation in 1953, Freddie served for two years in the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant. He served much of that time stationed in Japan on the island of Hokkaido.
In 1956 Freddie moved to New York and began a long, successful career working as a textile consultant for Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA).In 1961 he moved to London and headed up the English division of KSA. After a few years he moved back to New York and in 1963 he met deJarnette Reynolds (Wood), also from Milledgeville, and the two married in October 1964. In 1965 they moved to Paris where Freddie managed the three European division of KSA. In 1967 they moved to Atlanta, Ga. where they lived for several decades and raised their two children, Reynolds and Reid. That year Freddie became a strategic planner for KSA as the company diversified. He was named Textile Executive of the Year in 1970. Freddie’s career with KSA spanned 40 years. He retired from the firm in 1996 as Vice President of Strategic Planning.
Throughout his career and his retirement, Freddie continually served the School of ISyE at Ga. Tech. He was a member of ISyE’s Advisory Board from 1994 – 2000. He received the ISyE Academy of Distinguished Alumni Award in 1999 and he became an Emeritus member of the board in May 2000.
In his retirement Freddie spent time in Atlanta, Ga., Burnsville, NC, Venice, Fl., and Brevard, NC. He also spent time with his son’s family in Jackson, Ms. He was an avid reader and enjoyed water color painting and sketching. He also enjoyed following Ga. Tech football, playing duplicate Bridge and found that he liked acting in amateur play productions at College Walk, in Brevard, NC.
Freddie was a devoted, loving son, husband, father, grandfather, son-in-law, father-in-law, and brother-in-law. He was a great friend and trustful colleague to many. He is survived by his wife deJarnette Reynolds Wood, daughter Reid deJarnette Wood, son Robert Reynolds Wood and daughter-in-law Christi Wood, and three grandchildren Noah, Zion, and Adayah.
Freddie Wood’s family will receive visitors at 3:00pm on Saturday, April 14th at H.M. Patterson & Son Spring Hill Chapel, 1020 Spring Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30309. The memorial service will follow at 4:00pm. He will be laid to rest in Milledgeville, Ga. on Sunday, April 15, 2012 at 2:00pm.
The family has asked that in lieu of flowers donations be made to a charity of your choice or to the Georgia Tech Foundation for the School of Industrial Engineering General Fund, in honor of Freddie H. Wood.
Mailing address: School of ISyE, Development Office, 755 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332-0205. Checks should be payable to the Georgia Tech Foundation.