Robert ‘Bob’ William Wood

Bob was born on Aug. 8, 1936, in Washington, D.C., to the late Woodsie Sharp and William Herbert Wood.

In addition to his parents, Bob was preceded in death by his brother, Roy Ellis Wood; and a brother-in-law, R a l p h Wa r e.

Survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Cay Calhoun Wood; siblings, Betty Ware and Joe Wood; brother-in-law, Larry Calhoun; sisters-in-law, Betty Kirkwood (Charlie) and JoAnn Calhoun; several nieces and nephews; and a host of friends in Elkins and Charleston.

Special thanks to Sadie Tasker for her longtime friendship and continued support.

Bob began his career in Washington, D.C., with Capital, Piedmont and United Airlines.

In 1970, he started his own trucking business, R.W. Wood Trucking, Inc. He began with one truck and quickly expanded to 20 trucks, hauling stone to help build I-79 between Flatwoods and Jane Lew, West Virginia.

Later Bob bought several flat-bed trailers and began to haul Cline off-road trucks used in the coal industry from the factory in Kansas City, Missouri, back to Charleston. His wife Cay drove the flag car. Before ending his trucking career, Bob and Cay decided to build a log home on a mountaintop near Beverly, West Virginia. Bob hauled 40,000 pounds of logs from Connecticut to Elkins, where family and friends helped them build their dream home.

From 1978 until 2021, Bob and Cay operated Hiawatha’s, a gift shop in Elkins, selling western wear and Native American products which they purchased on yearly trips to the American Southwest. The store was known for a 12′ tall statue of Minnehaha — who was the legendary wife of Hiawatha — which stood in front of the store. The statue was a well known local landmark for Elkins. Somewhere in his career, Bob and Cay owned the Dailey Trade Center, containing the local post office in addition to a restaurant and a motel that they managed. Never still, Bob ran a ski shop and had a C-band satellite business, which morphed into a security service, where he sold and installed security cameras.

Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at Long and Fisher Funeral Home, 6837 Sissonville Drive, Charleston.

A committal service will then follow at 2 p.m., officiated by Chuck Britt at the Floral Hills Mausoleum Chapel nearby.

In lieu of flowers and to commemorate Bob’s love of animals, please donate to the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association, 1248 Greenbrier St., Charleston, WV, 25311.

Condolences can be sent by visiting www.longfisherfuneralhome.com.