My Dad Died

Charles Burnett Wood My dad died a few days ago after a years-long battle with multiple sclerosis. He had been getting steadily worse for a long time (as is usually the case with MS), had been in bad shape the last eight months or so, and took a turn for the worse last week. It wasn't unexpected, but it still seemed sudden. He and I had a chance to talk a couple of days before his death, and I think we both knew it might be our last chance. I'm really glad we got to say goodbye. Lots of people never get to.

Here's the obituary that ran in the Statesman:

Charles Burnett Wood of Austin, Texas, retired lawyer and municipal judge, passed away on December 14, 2010 at the age of 71 after a lengthy battle with multiple sclerosis. He was born on January 5, 1939 in Austin, attended Austin High School, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Texas School of Law. He served in the U.S. Air Force, and was president of the Bachelors Club of Austin and a member of the Admirals Club. He is survived by his two children Martha and Charlie, and his two grandsons Sam and Hudson.
A memorial service will be held at 11am on Monday, December 20 at Covenant Presbyterian Church.

He had been in pain and discomfort for a long, long time. I'm very glad that he no longer is. When we last spoke, he said, "It's a tough thing facing your own demise. But it's been quite an adventure."