Lenora Morgan Wood

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Mrs. Lenora Morgan Wood, 97, died Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Baptist Memorial Hospital – North Mississippi. The funeral will be Friday, January 26, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. in the Chapel of Waller Funeral Home with Rev. J.R. Eaton officiating. Visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 9:30 A.M. Burial will follow in Abbeville Cemetery.

Lenora was born on February 1, 1926, in Lafayette County, MS, to the late Ollie Ware and James Edward Morgan. She devoted her life to being a homemaker, finding the greatest joy in her role as a wife and mother. After her husband, Silas, passed away, she found herself a widow faced with raising her children on her own. In the midst of her own sorrow, Lenora stepped up as a strong, patient, and ever-present parent to her children. She found comfort in her faith as a former member of New Prospect Baptist Church and more recent member of First Baptist of Abbeville, giving back just as much as she received to her church and church family. Lenora later remarried to Gene Wood, and together they traveled with his job all over the United States. She took on each new location bravely, knowing that a home is more about who you’re with than where you’re at, but especially loved their time living in Louisiana. Lenora found joy in life’s little moments, like eating out at her favorite restaurants or strolling around Belk and J.C. Penny on shopping trips with her friends or family. Most of all, Lenora loved caring for people. She was always known to open her home and heart, hosting family gatherings and get togethers as often as she could. She looked for any excuse to whip up big spreads of food, lovingly preparing the dishes and recipes that her family loved most. Long after her children had grown and started families of their own, Lenora still felt that it was her purpose in life to care for them and offer the constant, steadfast love that only a mother can provide. That purpose grew only stronger as she welcomed grandchildren and great-grandchildren, looking with love upon each generation she was able to watch grow. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Silas Lee Downs; her second husband, Luther Eugene “Gene” Wood; her son, Joel M. Downs; daughter, Betty Jane Downs; and son-in-law, Gerald Stanford.

Lenora is survived by her eight children, Janice Downs Stanford of Abbeville, MS, Charlotte Roy and her husband, Buddy, of Abbeville, MS, James Downs and his wife, Renee, of Yocona, MS, Tommy Lee Downs and his wife, Janis, of Tula, MS, Brenda Eatmon of Oxford, MS, Patsy Clifton of Hernando, MS, Pam Wood Dickey and her husband, Ricky, of Water Valley, MS, and Larry Wood and his wife, Yvonne of Southaven, MS; ten grandchildren, Jeff Roy (Angie), Angie Williams (Ronnie), Darin Roy (Stephanie), Jason Downs (Tammy), Joshua Downs (Lesley), Kellye Russell (David), Keri Hill, Chris Bennett (Sandra), Beth Bennet Garner (Paul), and John Robert Parker, Jr.; as well as 19 great-grandchildren and many, many great-great-grandchildren.

Expressions of sympathy or memorial contributions in Lenora’s memory may be made to Abbeville Cemetery, c/o Abbeville Bank, Post Office Box 39, Abbeville, MS 38601.