Obituary: Mariana (Janes) Wood

Mariana (Janes) Wood

Mariana (Janes) Wood

Mariana (Janes) Wood, age 82, born on Aug. 6, 2018, died at Yavapai Regional Medical Center in Prescott, Arizona, as a result of a massive cerebral hemorrhage suffered earlier that day. Her husband of 29 years, Jack Wood, was with her.

The third child of Vernon and Jennie Janes, Anna Marie Janes was born in Tucson, Arizona, on Oct. 21, 1935. She had an older sister, Emma, and an older brother, Jack. Later, a younger sister, Roberta, was born.

As a child, Anna Marie was very close to her maternal grandfather, Robert Scott, and his wife, Elena. Anna Marie graduated from Tucson High in 1952. Beginning in 1953, Anna studied at the French Hospital School of Nursing in San Francisco, and graduated in August, 1956. While in San Francisco, Anna met Richard Howard, and they were married from 1958 to 1981. They had three children - Rhea, Stanley and Ian. In the early 1970s they relocated to Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Anna worked at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence until 1975 when she entered the program in Nurse Midwifery at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She graduated in August 1977, and became a Certified Nurse Midwife. In the 15 years that she worked at OB-GYN Associates in Providence, Anna participated in more than 1,000 births in the local hospital. In 1986, Anna met Jack Wood, and they were married on Christmas Eve in 1988. In addition to taking Jack’s last name, Anna changed her first name to Mariana.

Jack had three children from his first marriage - Christa, Katy and Brian. In 1997, Mariana left midwifery and entered the Master’s program in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Rhode Island. Shortly after graduating in May, 1999, she and Jack moved to Prescott, Arizona. While Jack pursued self-employment as a tax professional in Prescott, Mariana worked part time, first for the County Health Department, and later for Home Instead. She enjoyed reading, films, games, being outdoors, cooking, yoga and conversational Spanish.

Mariana was a committed member of her women’s group at Granite Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation, and was the quiet presence on Sundays who made sure that the potted plants at the church were properly watered. Mariana Wood will be sorely missed by Jack; their children; and grandchildren, Maia Ward, Donielle (Ward) Nolan, Keely and Kiera Sullivan; and two very young, great-grandsons, Cole and Wolf Dempsey. Her friends will miss her quiet yet thoughtful comments.

Birds and plants and wildlife mourn the passing of a passionate champion. And Ziggy, her mellow brown dog, waits patiently for her return.

As a Unitarian, Mariana believed in the inherent worth and dignity of each person, and appreciated the interdependent web of existence of which we are all a part. Our world will miss her presence, but will be enriched by the good works she did during her life.

There will be a Celebration of Mariana’s Life on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m., at Granite Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Prescott, Arizona, located at 882 Sunset Avenue. In lieu of flowers, friends of Mariana may wish to consider a donation in her memory to Prescott Center for the Arts, 208 N. Marina St, Prescott, AZ, 86301.

Information provided by survivors.


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