Jon Curtis Wood

Jon Curtis Wood passed away on Monday, February 6, 2023 in Vallejo, California. Jon was born on February 1, 1952 in Vallejo, California to Frank and Atha Wood. He and his brother, Scott, were raised by their mother in Vallejo. Jon had an enthusiasm for sports growing up, participating in football, track, and wrestling, but he always had a special love for all things baseball. He fondly and proudly recalled hitting his one and only home run in his final year of Vallejo Little League as a child in 1963, and remembered the field (Callen Field at 505 Amador in Vallejo, CA), where it went over the outfield fence (center field), and even the name of the pitcher when it happened. After graduating Vallejo High School in 1970, Jon began his university studies at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where he created many wonderful memories and forged friendships that would last a lifetime. Jon made the decision to interrupt his university studies to serve as a full-time missionary from 1972-1974 for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was called to serve in the Canada Montreal (Québec) Mission. He served the people of Montreal by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, learning French, and how to put his own spin on crepes in the process. Upon his return from his mission, he resumed his studies at BYU where he earned both Bachelor's and Master’s degrees in Accounting. After a stint with a major accounting firm (Arthur Andersen), Jon eventually decided to start his own CPA business. He passionately ran his business to the end of his life. He served many people through his work and loved every minute of it. He always recalled how much he actually disliked his initial tax class at BYU, and yet he found great satisfaction in helping people and building relationships in the process. Jon was married to Cheryl Lynn Wood (née Cabral) in the Oakland, California Temple on July 7, 1983. They started their honeymoon in Sausalito, CA, but, in typical Jon fashion, Jon decided to fly to Maui on a whim to “upgrade” their experience and found a hotel after landing. One of Jon’s passions was Little League baseball. He was very active in his children’s Little League Baseball and softball careers, and continued serving in various capacities, including as president and board member, throughout his life. He was an early (unofficial) pioneer in advanced baseball analytics long before it became mainstream in Major League Baseball. He loved applying his analytical mind to baseball, and carefully tracked statistics, hitting patterns, and fielder’s positions to give his teams an edge. He was an early pioneer in instituting a defensive shift. Jon also always made it a point to draft his teams based on character and a focus on having fun with analytics as a guide. He managed the first undefeated season on record in Benicia Little League history in 2001. Jon grew up learning to play the piano and organ in a more traditional style, first from his mother, Atha, and then moved on to more advanced instruction. While he appreciated the traditional style, that didn’t stop him from incorporating musical influence from the likes of Tower of Power into his weekly church accompaniment serving as the pianist for the children’s group (Primary) for his local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He always had an incredible ability to serve the children in this capacity, instilling in them a love of music using a flair for the dramatic on the piano. Jon would often say one of the greatest feelings in the world was hearing the Primary children hum along to the piano prelude each Sunday. Jon is survived by his wife Cheryl, brother Scott (K’Lynn), 6 children: Ryan, Todd (Alaina), Kelsey (Dayvisson) Da Silva, Jill (Jeff) Olson, Kevin, David (Emily), and 11 grandchildren. He loved being surrounded by his family and friends, and always knew how to light up a room with his charm and charisma. The following services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse located at 1125 Southampton Road, Benicia, CA, 94510: Viewing on Friday, February 10th, 2023 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm Viewing on Saturday, February 11th, 2023 from 9:00am to 10:00am Funeral on Saturday, February 11th, 2023 starting at 10:00am Interment will be at the Benicia Cemetery following the services on Saturday, February 11th, 2023. In lieu of flowers or other gifts, Jon's family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society (donate3.cancer.org)."

Jon Curtis Wood

February 1, 1952 - February 6, 2023