C Norman

Lt. General C. Norman Wood (retired) age 80, husband of fifty years to Elizabeth Burwell Dillard Wood, died on June 8, 2018 at his home in Ware’s Wharf, Essex County, Virginia. General Wood was predeceased by his mother, Mary Louise Ferguson, sister Janice Farrell Hilz and his niece, Leslie Farrell.

In addition to his wife, General Wood is survived by his daughters Wende Louise Wood and Elizabeth Burwell Wood Santini; his granddaughter Elizabeth Burwell Santini; his nieces Allison Farrell, Jennifer McGranaghan and Jessica Neatherlin as well as ,“Lady” his beloved beagle.

General Wood was born on March 7, 1938, in Dallas, TX. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas in 1960 and a master's degree from Auburn University in 1974. He completed Squadron Officer School in 1964, Air Command and Staff College in 1974, and National War College in 1979. He graduated from the executive seminar in national and international security at Harvard University in 1983.

A master navigator and electronic warfare officer with 3,400 flying hours, General Wood’s military badges include those for the Missile and Presidential Service. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1966 as an EW in the RB-47, and had 1,000 combat flying hours in the Vietnam Conflict. He was a SAC crewmember in both the RB-47 and the RC-135.

His staff duties included Headquarters assignments at the Strategic Air Command (SAC), and the Air Staff. After attending the National War College, he was the SAC Intelligence Wing Commander, and the Executive Director of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board at the White House in the first Reagan Administration. His General Officer assignments included: Commander, Air force Intelligence Service; J-2 (Director of Intelligence) and US European Command; head of Air Force Intelligence; and Director of the Intelligence Community Staff.

He retired from the Air Force in June 1992, and took a job as senior vice president and general manager of BDM Federal. There, he was responsible for national security and technology applications programs, resources, and marketing with a focus on the intelligence community.

General Wood became President and CEO of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), International in April 1996. AFCEA is a global enterprise with more that than 30,000 members, more than 1,000 corporate sponsors, and 143 chapters located in 32 nations. He was also the publisher of SIGNAL Magazine, the journal for communications, electronics, intelligence, and information systems professionals. He retired October 1, 2001.

After moving and fully embracing Ware’s Wharf as home in 2012, he became an active volunteer through numerous civic and community groups. He was a committed Rotarian having served as the Tappahannock Club President and later, as an assistant district governor. He was on the board of Bay Aging and the Essex County Museum. He was an avid genealogical researcher who frequented annual international conferences. He delighted in music and attended his granddaughter’s music and piano recitals as often as possible. He had a sensitive and caring heart that he shared with all.

General Wood was a life-long Christian Scientist. He took primary class instruction from Ralph E. Wagers, C.S.B., in 1970; and served on the Executive Committee of his Association for two three-year terms.

A Memorial Service for General Wood will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, 2018 in Rappahannock Christian Church, Dunnsville. Graveside services with full military honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions may be sent to the Tappahannock Rotary Club, PO Box 2672, Tappahannock VA, 22560 and Bay Aging, PO Box 610, Urbanna VA 23175.