O. Lew Wood

Orin Lew Wood was born April 26, 1936 in Hurricane, Utah to LuWayne and Violet Spendlove Wood. He was the oldest of five children. Lew’s early years were spent in Boulder City, Nevada. His family later moved to Big Creek, California in the high Sierra Mountains. He graduated in 1954 from Sierra High School which was located near the remote town of Tollhouse, California. Lew and his sister Sylvia were bussed to the school and boarded there during the week, returning to their families for the weekends. In high school Lew played line guard on the football team, ran track and threw the discus. He loved photography and became the senior editor of the school yearbook. He was senior class vice president and president of the scholarship society.

Lew received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Brigham Young University in 1958. While attending BYU he met Yvonne Silva on a blind date. He later said, “When I first saw her it was like there was a pink cloud over her head, and I knew she was the one”. Lew and Yvonne were married December 27, 1957 in the Idaho Falls Temple. He began graduate school at UC Berkeley. While there, they welcomed their first daughter Sharla in 1958. He received his Master of Science degree in Engineering Science from UCLA in 1962. Their second daughter Sherri was born in 1960 while they were living in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles. The family returned to Utah and built a home in Murray where they have resided for 62 years. Lew worked as a senior engineer and patent representative for Sperry Rand Corporation. Lew and Yvonne welcomed their first son Brent in 1963 and completed their family with the birth of their son Blaine in 1966. Lew received a National Institute of Health Doctoral Fellowship and graduated from the University of Utah in 1968 with a Ph.D. in Radiation Biophysics. Dr. Wood worked as a professor at Utah State University and Weber State University. Dr. Wood later founded and cofounded more than 20 successful high-tech companies throughout his career, focusing mainly on quartz resonating technology.

Lew and Yvonne traveled with their young family throughout the western states camping in tents and upgrading later to a trailer. In later years Lew and Yvonne traveled extensively throughout the world, often inviting family members to join them. Some of our fondest family memories are summer outings at Lake Powell on the houseboat with “Captain Lew” at the helm.

Lew grew an extensive garden surrounded by many fruit trees. He taught his children the value of hard work by putting them to work in the house and the yard. He kept everything repaired and in good working order and did most of the work himself. Lew was an avid jogger and was very health conscious. Lew supported and encouraged his children with their schooling. He had a life-long love of learning and was a voracious reader. Lew and Yvonne encouraged and funded higher education and church missions for their children and grandchildren. He was a philanthropist and generously funded scholarships at Murray High School, Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. In Lew’s retirement, he served as the Chairman of the Murray City Power Board for many years.

Lew is survived by his wife Yvonne; daughters Sharla Williamson (Bryan) and Sherri Corwin (Blayn) and his son Brent Wood (Cheryl); his siblings Sylvia Sawyer (Mel, deceased), Roberta Jugant (Gerard) and Doug Wood (Barbara). He is survived by 15 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

Lew was preceded in death by his parents LuWayne and Violet Wood, his sister Sandra Wood, his son Blaine Wood, his grandson Matthew Germaine and his son-in-law David Germaine.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Little Cottonwood Twelfth Ward Meeting House, 6180 S. Glenoaks Street, Murray, Utah. There will be a viewing prior to the services at the same location from 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. Interment will be at the Murray City Cemetery.

Lew was a man of quiet strength, generous spirit, and unwavering devotion to family and community. His life was marked by integrity, hard work, and a deep love for those around him. Words cannot express our grief at the loss of our beloved husband, father and grandfather. We find comfort in knowing that Lew’s next journey is filled with peace and happiness—and that “Captain Lew” is once again at the helm.