Robert Joseph Wood was born on August 7, 1949, at the Norwegian American Hospital in Chicago. After a few years in Chicago, his family returned to Sturgis, living on Douglas Street with wonderful neighbors on either side and his Grandma Grams two houses away.

Joe was interested in science, enjoying his chemistry set, microscope, and the workbench in the basement, where he spent many hours working on projects.  He was a real rock-hound, always collecting rocks and fossils. He later earned a degree in geology from The University of Nebraska. He was also fascinated by reptiles, especially rattlesnakes, and he often captured them to relocate them away from the cabin.

When Joe was old enough to hunt, he set off on his own, bagging a grouse, pheasant, turkey, and a deer. No doubt, his knowledge of the area and observations of the animals on his hikes made that hunting season so successful.  Interestingly, he never hunted again after that.

Joe was happiest in the outdoors and enjoyed hiking in Deadman and Vanocker Canyons. He enjoyed visiting with his cousin Mike Kelley and Marnie and Mark Walsh, who lived just across the way in the old Sparks cabin. Hiking from Deadman to Vanocker, he would sometimes stop in to see Dr. Bill Jones.

Joe enlisted in the US Army and was stationed in Germany for eight years. He was fluent in German, so he was an asset to his unit.  After leaving active duty, he joined the Army Reserve in Nebraska, where he was a specialist in remote sensing for 20 years.

Joe was a member of the International Society of Explosives Engineers since 1987 and was active in the Black Hills Chapter. He enjoyed the group immensely and served on the Board of Directors.

In recent years, Joe enjoyed his property in Galena. He enjoyed visiting with the neighbors there. He found it entertaining to watch the wildlife, especially the smallest creatures, the chipmunks. He even adopted a feral cat, Shadow, and brought her home to live in Spearfish.

Joe died unexpectedly at his home on March 2, 2023.  It was a terrible shock, but we are comforted knowing that he left this life gently.

Remembering Joe with love are Claire, Nancy, Anne, Hans, Elsa, Sveinung, cousins, and friends.

Graveside services will be held at 11:30 am on June 21, 2023 at Black Hills National Cemetery.