Stella Myrethia Wood was born Friday March 13^th, 1931 to Bonnie Stella and Oliver Matthew Edwards. She joined the Edwards tribe when her mother was 42 years old, the last of eleven children, all given unique names by their mother. Her siblings were, from oldest to youngest, Creo Rillie, Elmer Rado, Velma Leona, Idis Norvel, Lawrence Elvray, Hermon Estel, Olen Myrlen, Thelma Naomi, Ofred Dale, and Edna Mae, all of whom preceded her in death. When her mother was deciding on a name for her youngest she found that Oliver could not say Theresa due to a lisp, so she decided on Myrethia instead.

Myrethia grew up on a sandy cotton farm in Terry County near Wellman in the Texas Panhandle and lived the first 18 years of her life in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing. Starting at eight her job was to haul water from the well house. She graduated as salutatorian of her high school class of thirteen. One of her proudest moments was when the superintendent of schools asked her to help him with a speech he was writing because she had done such an outstanding job on the speech she wrote for graduation.

Myrethia married Harley Morgan Wood, Jr. on January 8, 1950. They had four children: Larry Morgan (who proceeded her in death), Patricia Ann Grissom, MaryRuth Tipton, and Tony Matthew. Myrethia and Harley raised their children on a cotton farm like their parents before them, involving their kids in every aspect of farm life. Together with Myrethia, they spent the summer hoeing weeds, picking in the garden, and canning what they picked into the wee hours of the morning. Myrethia served as a 4H leader, class mom, and Sunday School teacher. For many years, she participated in Merry Mothers, a group of mothers originally meant to plan class parties, but who went on to socialize into their 80s. Myrethia took a job as a bookkeeper at a cotton gin from 1973 until her retirement in 1996.

Throughout her life Myrethia devoted herself to others, often through one of her greatest joys: sewing. She made clothes for her children (particularly her daughters), then later branched into making quilts and blankets. Over a twenty year span, she made over 500 blankets that she donated to children’s service projects, as well as selling at bazaars to help generate money for Christmas gifts for women and children in shelters. Through a group in Lubbock and then when she moved to Friendswood, she joined Senior Friends in sewing thousands of heart pillows that were donated to hospitals for surgical patients and baby quilts for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Myrethia had an adventurous spirit that came out later in life, starting with sky diving for her 70^th birthday. She took mission trips to Tanzania with her church later in her 70s and again when she was 80, to first distribute eye glasses and then to paint a building that provided meals to homeless teens. She loved to travel, taking five cruises (her favorites were Alaskan and Hawaiian), and several road trips to visit family and friends. Myrethia embraced technology in her 70s, buying a computer and setting up an email and Facebook account, and even self-publishing three books of her poetry.

At 84, after much urging by her daughter Pat, Myrethia moved from the Texas Panhandle to Friendswood, Texas. Initially, she was worried she would flounder in a new place with new faces, but in no time she was involved in the activity room at her apartment complex, playing games, attending a craft group, and participating in a Bible study. She soon found Clear Lake United Methodist Church, a new church home where she could share her strong Christian beliefs.

On January 16, 2023 Myrethia took a fall, resulting in a brain injury, which necessitated her moving into a personal care home. Even though she was still sharp and clear-headed, Light Heart Memory Care, specializing in dementia and Alzheimer’s, was the best option for her care. She received lots of loving attention there and often answered with a smile when reminded that she was the smartest kid on the block. She remained cheerful and positive up to the end of her life, always replying she was fine when asked, and thanking the people around her for every kindness. Myrethia was a quiet, humble, unassuming woman who rarely spoke out in a group. Nothing seemed to stress or rile her. Yet she knew what she wanted, and she lived her life with purpose and drive. She died at the age of 93 on July 6^th, 2024 after a short illness. She was loved by many and will be be missed.

Myrethia had nine grandchildren: Cassaundra and Jason (daughter and son of Larry and Joann Wood); Justin (now deceased), Brandon, and Reagan (sons and daughter of Pat and Larry Grissom); Nicole and Matthew Tipton (daughter and son of MaryRuth and Finis Tipton); and Lyndi and Jeri Wood (daughters of Tony and Sharon Wood). Tony was recently married to Christina.

She also has 18 great grandchildren: Katrina Delatte (husband Andrew, daughter of Cassaundra and Sonny Axtell); Kathrin and Victoria (daughters of Jason and Jennifer Wood); Jocelyn and Alexis (daughters of Justin and Jennifer Grissom); Sadie, Emery, Zikora, and Uzodi (daughters of Reagan and KC Ofordeme); Cire Jauregui and Dorothy Jones (daughters of Nicole and Eric Jauregui); Amber (daughter of Matthew and Rebecca Tipton); Addison, Ivy, Waverlee, and Clark (daughters and son of Lyndi and Derick Bartlett); and Sebastian and Atreyu (sons of Jeri and Jon Hoffman).

A Celebration of Life service will be held for Myrethia at Unity Bay Area Houston Church, 1911 Highway 3 South, League City, Texas 77573, on September 7 at 4:00 pm. If you wish to make a donation in remembrance of Myrethia consider Bay Area Turning Point (281-338-7600) and Bridge Over Troubled Waters (713-472-0753), two women’s shelters she supported through her time and donations.

Good Times, Bad Times

by Myrethia Wood

Remember the good times

We’ve had in the past.

Remember the good times,

The good times don’t last.

Don’t dwell on the bad times.

We must have those too.

But don’t dwell on the bad times.

We have to go through.

Just wait for the Lord’s time,

For He has a plan.

Have faith in the Lord’s time,

And you’ll win in the end.

October 26, 2003