James Robert Wood

James Robert Wood, 67, of Frankfort, died Monday, November 10, 2014 at Baptist East in Louisville. He was employed by the Kentucky Public Service Commission as an attorney and hearing officer and formerly served as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Office of Legal Services in Frankfort. Before moving to Frankfort, he had a private law practice in Owensboro where he was elected to four terms as a city commissioner. He was a former Assistant Commonwealth Attorney in Louisville and served on the Bluegrass Area Crime Council. He was appointed to the United States Military Academy and graduated from the University of Kentucky School of Law. He enjoyed teaching on the college level and taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Kentucky, Berea College, Western Kentucky University and Owensboro Community College. He served multiple terms as Chairman of the Board of Western Kentucky Legal Services and was a former board member and Chairman of the board of OASIS, the Owensboro Area Spouse Abuse Shelter. He was named a Kentucky Colonel under Governor Brereton Jones and named one of America's Outstanding Young Men. He taught a men's Bible Study class at Immanuel Baptist Church and a co-ed Sunday School class at Third Baptist Church in Owensboro where he was ordained as a deacon. He enjoyed hunting, skeet shooting, and philosophical discussions.
He is survived by his wife, Lisa Vestal Wood, his daughter, Mary Elizabeth Wood, his stepchildren Jami Morris, Melissa Mills and Sam Williams and his sister, JoAnn Wood Gardner.
A Celebration of Life service will be at 12:00 noon Friday EST at Immanuel Baptist Church, Frankfort, where visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. A service will also be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Third Baptist Church, Owensboro, where visitation will be from 12:00 until 2:00 p.m. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, PO Box 358, Georgetown, KY 40324, or Third Baptist Church's Memorial Fund.