Ashley Wood

Ashley Alexander Wood was born on Christmas Eve, 1976 in Gainesville Florida. He died February 21, 2021 in Ocala Florida from a lingering injury and other illnesses.

His first 9 years he resided in Gainesville, moved with his family to Evinston, Florida and later settled in Ocala. He was a mutigenerational Floridian, descended from historic Florida families on both his father and mother’s sides.

He attended P.K. Yonge Laboratory School, graduated from Eastside High School where he was a member of the band and JROTC. He graduated from Santa Fe College with a degree in criminology. He completed his Basic Recruit training in law enforcement for certification from the Kirkpatrick Center of Santa Fe College’s Institute of Public Safety.

He was a member of the Boy Scouts of America completing all of the requirements in Cub Scouting, was awarded the Order of the Arrow for his dedication to the Scout Oath and Law, and obtained the rank of Eagle Scout through Micanopy Troop 372. He totally enjoyed his camping and outdoor experiences through scouting.

He served as an officer in the Chiefland Police Department, was briefly employed by the Gainesville Police Department, was a security officer for Tacachale Center in Gainesville, and a corrections officer for the State of Florida at the Gainesville Correctional Center. After completing correctional training he was awarded a position as a Federal Officer in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, United States Department of Justice, where he was a Senior Officer Specialist. He completed the program for being a Disturbance Control Team Instructor, was awarded a Sustained Superior Performance Award, and a Special Act Award.

Ashley was a very friendly person who made and kept friends easily. He was always happiest to be with friends, family, and family pets. He was an enthusiastic outdoorsman who loved to fish and hunt. He was a gun collector who had hand assembled and made several of the guns in his collection. He was very interested in, and studied much of the histories of the local area and of Florida including early family members who had participated in the Second Seminole War, the Civil War, and both World Wars.

During the first 21 years of his life he traveled with his family to more than 30 states and Canada, enjoying and learning about the peoples, environments, and scenic vistas. His favorite trips were to Northern California and the Pacific coast, and a trip that visited all five of the Great Lakes.

He is survived by his devoted wife Michele Linette Wood, his loving son Michael Alexander Wood, his parents Ashley M. and Sara-Nett N. Wood, and his sister Augusta Grey Wood (Bryce Klein). He has aunts, uncles, and cousins on both sides of his family and a loving father-in-law and mother-in-law Jim and Marilyn Linette.

On Sunday, February 28, 2021, from 5-7 p.m. at Countryside Funeral Home of Anthony, Florida there will be a time for viewing for the family and friends to see Ashley.Due to COVID constraints, there will be a limited graveside service for family and closest friends on March 1, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. He will be interred in the family plot of the historic Center Point Cemetery. His cousin, the Rev. Theodore Evins Wood is presiding. At a later date a celebration of his life will be held in the historic Wood-Evins family home in Evinston.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that you donate to either the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 348390 Sacramento, CA 95834-8390 or the Micanopy Cub Scout Troop 372 in care of the Episcopal Church of the Mediator, P.O. Box 184, Micanopy FL 32667-0184­­­ in Ashley’s memory. Countryside Funeral Home of Anthony is in charge of his services.