Larry Vern Wood, a.k.a., “The Woodpecker,” took his final checkered flag Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. He was 85.
Larry was born July 11, 1935, to Daryl W. Wood and Veda Eaton Wood in Shelley, Idaho. He would be followed by a brother, William Kenneth, three years later. In the 1940s, the family moved to the Spokane Valley and Colfax areas and would move back and forth, following Daryl’s work. Larry attended grade schools in both, and high school at Central Valley in Spokane. After he left school behind, Larry worked several jobs, including farming with his father for a time, but he never found his niche until his brother, Bill, suggested hauling grain commercially, which Bill had been doing for a few years.
Larry drove for Grainways in the Colfax area for a couple years, then purchased the rig, becoming an owner-operator, which would last for nearly 40 years, with several equipment upgrades over that time. In the 1970s, he was asked to come haul for Latah County Grain Growers, where his brother had been for several years. In 1982, the growers asked Bill and Larry if they could put on two more trucks, making owner-operators of each of their sons, Darrin (Bill) and Clayton (Larry). It became a family affair with lots of good times.
When it came to hobbies, the “Brothers” and their families did everything together: camping, motorcycles, snowmobiles, Jeeps, hot rods and racing of many of those. But Larry’s real love (besides his wife, Joann, of course) was stock car racing. He campaigned several different cars over a 10-year period, from the late ’50s to the late ’60s on many tracks in the area. Circle track racing would then be put on hold for the next 25 years. However, it would be replaced by Jeep drag racing and obstacle course racing. But in 1995, Larry’s son, Clayton, asked if he wanted to race circle track again. That was all Larry needed to hear, and over 25 years, they built five different cars, and had an absolute blast until his passing.
Larry is survived by his wife, Joann, at their home in Colfax; brother Bill Wood and wife Connie of Princeton; son Clayton Wood of Potlatch; nephew Darrin Wood of Moscow; granddaughters Shallon Wood and Clairissa Frederiksen; and great-grandsons Ceve Brown, Kason Wood and Corbin Wood.
He was preceded in death by his buddies; son Blake Wood; nephew Randy Wood and grandson Cody Wood. “The race is over, ‘old shoe,’ let’s load the car. I’ll see ya on the other side.”
No public services will be held at this time and his urn will be laid to rest in Colfax Cemetery at a later date. Watch social media and the Lewiston Tribune and Colfax Gazette for announcement of services. The family suggests memorials in his name be made to a favorite charity of choice. Online guest book is at www.bruningfuneralhome.com. Bruning Funeral Home is caring for the family.
