Obituary of Herbert Pullan "Tony" Wood

WOOD: Tony (Herbert Pullan) Wood: May 1, 1940-April 21, 2011. Suddenly and peacefully after a short, but valiant battle, Tony succumbed to a recurrence of cancer, after having been cancer free for five years. Tony was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England. He survived WWII, when as an infant he was cushioned from the relentless bombing of London by being placed in a basket of tripe (a story never forgotten). His early years, found him living between the world of the wealthy (where he came to appreciate education and books) and a world of challenge. He shared stories of collecting coal off the streets and making deliveries of 150 plus papers to help his mother manage. These experiences fed his constant quest for literature, and his adeptness at being able to do just about anything. Always a challenging personality to his tutors, he ultimately became well accomplished in the field of medicine, becoming a Medical Specialist. This allowed him to practice advanced medical skills in remote areas. With hands his size you wouldn't have pegged him as someone who could do such delicate stitch work. As a Medical Specialist, Tony worked in far off places like Saudi Arabia, where he contributed to the training of Doctors. While in Saudi he and other Brits there took on the Americans at "their game" of baseball, and showed them what real football was (rugby). He later travelled to Russia, doing truly front line work and giving talks to the Docs on the first hour of trauma treatment. He treated the locals in remote areas of Russia, handing out antibiotics and gladly receiving Russian food and of course, vodka given by grateful Russians who wouldn't take no for an answer! He landed in Manitoba, after he was recruited by the Manitoba Developmental Center in Portage la Prairie to head up a diagnostic unit. In his last years of employment he worked for Conaco as a Medic/Health and Safety Officer on North Sea Oil rigs, where he contributed to the design of the medical units and kept everyone on their toes. He was recently recognized for being one of the founders of a Helicopter Medical Emergency Rescue Service in the UK. It was while working at the Developmental Centre in Portage la Prairie that he met Noreen, though it was 25 years later that they reconnected and married. Once in Brandon he coped with winter by mastering computers (knew much more than most folks) and by trying his hand at ice/snow sculpturing (his Manitoba Buffalo was spectacular). The summers were all about golf and the folks at Glen Lea will, I am sure, fondly miss his presence and his antics. An avid learner throughout his life, he regretted not being up to travelling in the last few years, there was so much of the world he still wanted to experience. An ox of a man, with a strong heart and personality, he had a soft soul that few saw. Tony is survived by his wife Noreen Ek(Wood); his sons Jason and Guy; their wives and step-grandchildren all residing in England; daughter Nissa (née Ek) Esler and grandsons Jacob Elwood and Samuel Pullan Esler of Brandon. A celebration of Tony's life will be held with family and friends in the near future. He had the deepest appreciation for Dr Lawrence Tan, Thoracic Surgeon at the Health Sciences Centre and Dr Andrew Maksymiuk of CancerCare, who together, gave him the last five years of his life. Memorial donations can be made to CancerCare Manitoba, 675 McDermot Avenue, Room ON1160, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0V9.