Mary Shea "Biddley" Wood

Mary Shea "Biddley" Wood, 87, of Grady, Ark., passed away Nov. 20, 2018, in Steamboat Springs, Colo. She was born March 26, 1931, in Memphis, Tenn., to the late Thomas Francis Shea and Faye McKennon Shea. She was raised and received her early education in Dumas, Ark., after moving there at age three. She went on to attend Stephens College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University in 1952. She married Henry Ray Wood, Jr. on Oct. 20, 1953, in Dumas. Biddley was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Ray; three grandchildren, Jennifer Ashley Wood, Charles Henry Wood and William Christopher Wood; her brother, Thomas F. "Tommy" Shea, Jr.; and nephew, Thomas McKennon "Ken" Shea. Survivors include two children, Kimberly Wood Tucker (Dr. Dee L. Tucker) of Steamboat Springs, Colo., and Henry Ray "Beau" Wood III (Pamela Wayne Wood) of Grady; three grandchildren, Alison Tucker Brodie (Nate), Patrick Ray Wood, and Cristin Brianne Wood; and one great-grandson, Tucker Bear Brodie. She is also survived by her niece, Anne Shea Carroll; nephew, William Warrick "Bill" Shea; and first cousin, JoAnn "Jody" McKennon Henslee; along with a host of friends, cousins, great- and great-great-nieces and nephews. Upon Ray's death in 1976, Biddley took over management of the family farming operation and continued to actively manage it with her son, Beau, for over thirty years. She was an active member of the Grady United Methodist Church, serving on the administrative board and teaching Sunday school. She was a member and former president of the Grady Lions Club. In 1984, Biddley was the first woman elected to the Board of Directors of Staplcotn, Inc. in Greenwood, Miss. - the oldest and one of the largest cotton-marketing cooperatives in the United States. She also formerly served on the Boards of Directors of the Agricultural Council of Arkansas, Planters Cotton Oil Mill, and was a committee person of the Lincoln County FSA. Biddley was a past recipient of the Harvey W. McGeorge Award for Distinguished Service to Agriculture in Arkansas, presented by the Pine Bluff Rotary Club, and the Roy Kumpe award for a contribution to the Lion's Club World Services for the Blind. Memorials may be made to the Grady United Methodist Church, Arkansas Children's Hospital, or a charity of your choice. A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at the Grady United Methodist Church with Rev. Mike Morey officiating. Burial will follow in Grady Cemetery. Visitation will be the hour prior to the service at the church. Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com.