BY WALT SCHAEFER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
During Christmas season, Robert P. Wood frequently visited homeless shelters.
"He took food and gifts to the homeless -- anything he thought they needed," said Mr. Wood's wife of 25 years, Sharon. "He was just always happy, caring for me, caring for others," she said.
Mr. Wood, 48, of Batavia Township, died Wednesday at University Hospital from burns he suffered Aug. 7 during a propane-gas explosion at Auxier Gas Inc., Batavia, where he had worked as a driver and serviceman for 30 years.
Investigators determined Mr. Wood likely saved the lives of other employees when, moments before the explosion, he realized the danger and ran to shut off a tank valve. He was near the valve just before the blast, which sent flames 60 feet high and rattledbuildings in a three-block radius.
His shirt burned almost off, a dazed Mr. Wood stumbled toward firefighters, telling them, "Get everybody out of here. This thing's about ready to blow."
"He would do anything for anybody," his wife said. "He loved
model railroads and would set up his trains at the bank in Williamsburg at Christmas," she said.
Linda Bogan, a family friend, said the Woods traveled in June to Lake Tahoe, on the California - Nevada border, to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. "We went with them, and they renewed their marriage vows at the top of the mountain out there. It was so beautiful," Mrs. Bogan said.
Mr. Wood, a lifelong resident of Clermont County, was a graduate of Batavia High School.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Wood is survived by his mother, Mary McIntosh of Williamsburg; two sisters, Mary Linda Watson of Batavia Township and Carolyn Dean of Williamsburg; and two brothers, Carl Wood of Williamsburg and James Wood of Batavia Township.
Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Maham Funeral Home, 187 N. Second St., Williamsburg. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Faith Evangelical Free Church, 5910 Price Road, Milford. Burial will be in Williamsburg Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Burns Institute at University Hospital, 231 Bethesda Ave., Cincinnati 45229.
