Hazel Nell Wood, age 83, passed away at Mercy Villa Nursing Home on October 20, 2009. She was born November 22, 1925 to Lemuel and Mary Belle Smith. Hazel grew up in Bogalusa, Louisiana and graduated from Elizabeth Sullivan Memorial Hospital Nursing School in 1946. She came to Springfield, MO as a young nurse to care for children with polio. She married William W. Wood, M.D., a general surgeon in 1950. After 20 years of raising her five children, she returned to her profession working as Nursing Director at Fremont Manor, and then at St. John's Hospital, where she retired in 1990. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. "Willie" Wood, and her daughter, Carolyn Wood. She is survived by her daughters, Cynthia McHaney and husband Powell, Cathy Doman, Julie Murdock and husband Todd and by her son Robert "Bobby" Wood and his wife Lanell, ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 PM, Friday, October 23, 2009 in Springfield National Cemetery. The following evening, Saturday, October 24, a visitation will be held in Gorman-Scharpf Brentwood Chapel from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.