Wood, William J. (Father)

Jesuit Father William J. Wood, 80, died on June 29, 2014, at Regis Infirmary at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, California, after a long illness. He was a Jesuit for 62 years, 49 as an ordained priest.

Fr. Wood was born in Philadelphia in 1934 and raised in Reading, Pennsylvania, and Pasadena. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1951 after graduation from Loyola High School. He was ordained a priest in Hollywood in 1965. He earned degrees from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, Santa Clara University in California and a doctorate from the Gregorian University in Rome.

During his years of active ministry Fr. Wood served at the University of San Francisco, Bellarmine College Preparatory, Santa Clara University and Verbum Dei High in Los Angeles. He also served as Executive Director of the California Catholic Conference in Sacramento for a number of years. He was a noted spiritual director and retreat master and was a passionate advocate for the poor and marginalized and for the environment.

Fr. Wood is survived by a sister, Marie McElwee of Vancouver, Washington.