Joan R. (Russell) Wood

Joan Ruth Wood died peacefully on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio at the age of 87.

Joan will be remembered as a woman of style and grace -- inside and out. With a quick smile and wit, she lit up every room she entered. She was a great and loyal friend to many. And as a hostess, legendary. Her dining-room table always seemed to feature delicious food, and, more importantly, smiles, laughter, and joy.

She is survived by her daughter, Whitney Noel (James) Bissantz; her sister, Judith (Stu) Miller; niece, Jenny (David) Estle; nephew, Mike (Valerie) Miller; and many other family members. She is preceded in death by her husband of 31 years, John Edgar Wood (1989), daughter Johnna Ann (1968), and son John David (2022).

She was born June 25, 1935, in Buffalo, New York, to William and Ruth (Gaul) Russell. She was raised in Cincinnati, but later moved to Georgetown, Ohio, where she lived for 45 years and left an indelible mark on the community.

Joan was a member of Georgetown United Methodist Church. She was a past president of Georgetown Women’s Club and the Georgetown Research Club, and served as a trustee of the Mary P. Shelton Library Board. She was also a member of the Friends of the Library, the Brown County Library Foundation, and the Georgetown Arts Council. In addition, she was active with the Brown County General Hospital Auxiliary and with the Hospital’s Foundation, and served on the board of the Brown County Heart Association. Another important position she held -- she was the den mother for David’s cub scout troop when he was growing up.

In her day-to-day life in Georgetown, Joan had a strong presence on Main Street. Because she served as secretary and later president of the Brown County Publishing Company, she was a fixture at the News Democrat. She considered it her “happy place” and, especially in her later years in Georgetown, logged long hours running the business. In addition, Joan worked at and assisted her husband at the John Wood Insurance Company. She retired to Legendary Run Community in 2004 and spent winters in Sanibel, Florida. Her family and friends often visited her there, and those trips made countless treasured memories.  

Her greatest source of joy and pride, though, was her family. She and her husband, John, were one of those couples who made even a simple dinner at their home on North Green Street a special occasion. Her world always revolved around her children, Johnna, David and Whitney; and grandchildren, Alexandra, Sara, Taylor, and Leslie. No conversation with her was complete without stories of their latest adventures and accomplishments. She and Whitney spoke every day; and she and David shared regular debriefings about daily goings-on and, of course, the Cincinnati Bengals. Joan and her son-in-law Jim were known to celebrate important events with trips to The Precinct for a good steak.

But the sun always rose and set with her grandchildren. Joan was a regular at Alex and Sara’s school events – from tennis matches and other sporting events to celebrations of their academic achievements. She also delighted in the countless sleepovers, afternoons, and dinners at Neena’s – her grandchildren’s nickname for her.

At Joan’s request, there will be no visitation. A graveside service will be held at 1:00 PM, Monday, November 21, 2022 at the Confidence Cemetery in Georgetown, Ohio. The Cahall Funeral Home in Georgetown, Ohio is serving the family.

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