Lan Wood, a 1964 graduate of Russellville High School, died without drawing much attention in Lexington on Dec. 12 at age 71. That was typical of his life. He had lived without fanfare near the University of Kentucky most of his adult life.

Doodle Wood was born on Oct. 19, 1946. His mother was Russellvillian Amanda Moseley. His older brother, Bill Chapman, preceded him in death.

Since he had virtually disappeared from most of us who knew him as a boy and at RHS, some of his old friends have contributed their remembrances of him to The LoJo. They follow.

Porter McLean

I am very sorry to learn that Lan Wood has passed away. He and I are of the same vintage and were in the Russellville schools together for many years.  People called him either Lan or “Doodle” or Wood, but I’m not sure where the “Doodle” nickname came from. I think later in life he went by his given first name of Joe (Joseph).

My first recollections were as kids getting together to play during our elementary school years, and then some get-togethers as teenagers with Purvis and others in our high school years. I remember his mother being a great hostess to her visitors, not only with hospitality, but she was a really funny person.

Wood always had a huge interest in history – even as a kid – particularly in WW II. He would lose me pretty quick with stories about German history and the war. He even had a German Shepherd as a pet named Kaiser.

Lan was a very caring person and very loyal to his friends and family. When my father died only two months after we graduated from high school, Lan was a real friend and very supportive to me.  With his natural caring for others, it was no surprise to me he found a career in social services – working for the State of Kentucky. That’s what took him to Lexington.

Through his high school years, Lan was a big sports fan and very supportive of the RHS Panthers. Even then he was a huge fan of the University of Kentucky football and basketball teams. I’m sure moving to Lexington for his career was not a difficult thing for him to do.

Lan’s older brother, Bill Chapman, married Brenda Wallace, also of Russellville. Bill was maybe seven or eight years older than Lan. As Bill and Brenda stated their own family in California, I remember Lan being very proud to be an uncle and he was equally proud of Holly and Gray Chapman, his niece and nephew.

In his later years, Lan had some health issues and stayed close to home in Lexington. I’m sorry he didn’t make it to our 50^th class reunion in 2014. It would have been good to catch up and see him again.

R.I.P. Lan “Doodle” Wood

Jim Purvis

I’ve known Lan Wood since we were both little boys in Russellville. At the time his family lived on Bethel Street, right around the corner from us on Fifth. We were close friends all the way through elementary and high school. Here are a few things that come to mind whenever I think of Wood.

He was an avid student of history, especially WWII. He taught me how to smoke. He was friendly, funny and always good humored. The University of Kentucky never had a more enthusiastic or loyal fan. Lan was a proud Son of the South. For the longest time his phone greeting went something like “Sorry I couldn’t answer because we’re out shooting Yankees. I will return your call when I come in to reload.”

Lan suffered from chronic asthma. In later years he was largely shut in and our contacts were limited to periodic phone calls and an occasional visit. I saw him last face-to-face when I was in Lexington several years ago. He was happy as usual, despite his illness and quick to tell me about his niece and nephew, Holly and Gray in California. He was very proud of them and their accomplishments. Lan was always interested in my family and could always remember the names of my siblings and kids.

When Lan died the world lost a happy, gentle soul.

RIP Doodle

Cathy Holmes

Sharp wit. Fun. Funny. Historian. Diehard UK fan. Good family friend.

Lan, usually referred to as “Wood, was all of these things. He was frequently at my house in Brookhaven during our teenage years and

The fun factor ratcheted up when he came in the door. His wit was so quick that no matter the topic, his clever comments generated laughter. If both Nelson Weaver, equally quick witted, and Lan were visiting at the same time, well, you had to be there.

Dang, if only iphones had been invented I would have some viral videos!

History has never been my strong suit, but it was Lan’s. He was a walking encyclopedia who grasped the DNA of a particular historical period or event and could bring it to life. That’s a rare gift and I always thought he should have been a history teacher.

One vivid memory is seeing Dr. Zhivago at a drive-in theater in Bowling Green. My mother drove, Lan was in the car but I don’t remember who else was with us. As we watched that wonderful movie, the timely interjections by Lan — telling us what was happening in 20^th century Russia and providing background nuggets that pulled the story together — took the movie experience to a new level.

The day after my mother died in 2003, we were notifying family and friends. Somehow I got an email address for Lan and sent him a message with the news. He, a neophyte computer user, responded, “Wood. Lost in cyberspace! Please advise if you receive this.” During a sad time of loss, he gave us a reason to laugh.

About three years ago I called Lan. We picked up as if it were still mid 60’s and we were sitting in my parents’ kitchen. We talked about old times and he shared stories of my parents (who were crazy about him), good times in Russellville and his take on the political goings on. I’m so glad I had that last conversation.

Lan loved his family. He often talked about them, referring to his mother as “Amanda” when relaying the latest tidbit. Any everyday conversation was a worthwhile and fun topic! His brother Bill’s children, little tykes back then, were special to Lan, and to this day I know their names because he so often spoke of them.

Lan, one of the good guys. RIP old friend.

Nelson Weaver

Joseph Lan Wood was a non-conformist. I liked that about him. He didn’t follow the crowd and he wasn’t afraid to take the road less traveled. Most of his roads were lined with books and most of his books were connected to his love of history.

The first time I remember meeting Lan, we were very young children. He may have been in the first grade. Lan tried to explain to me the concept of recess. He took a banana and a cookie to school for some meal I did not understand. Why we carve out and remember particular unimportant moments from our past is a puzzle to me. But to this day, I seldom encounter something about recess that I do not think of Lan Wood.

I later learned about learning disabilities, but in high school, I had to work hard at getting a B. One morning. Cathy Holmes and I were at her house studying for the test when Lan Wood stopped by. For hours, Lan added color to every historic event. He put it all into perspective as though it was a movie about history and not pages in a school book.

I got an A+ on the final. Cathy did also, but that wasn’t unusual for her!

My last conversation with Lan was just a few years ago. I inquired of his friends for his phone number and called him. We had not spoken in almost 50 years,so he was a bit surprised at my contact. I explained that I was working on a novel and asked him if he had anything on Earl Warren and the period of American history that surrounds the Warren Supreme Court. Lan said, “I have an entire wall of books on that, you are going to have to be more specific.”

Lan and I talked for about an hour. Let me rephrase that. Lan talked for about an hour. He talked about life and history and Earl Warren. He gave me enough information and resource material to see the pictures I needed to write a story that wasn’t just readable, but maybe had some insights that no one had read before.

I have nothing but good memories of the man I think of as the “history professor.” He was a teacher at heart and that is a sign of a good person with a desire to help others.  I am sure there are many, whose lives are a little better, because they knew Lan Wood. I wish I had called him and told him again how much I appreciated his help. I feel better knowing he will probably read this. He will certainly continue to stock the shelves of his heavenly library.

Mike Herndon

I had been dumped by my girlfriend of two years in the spring of 1968 and for several days had been moping around the off-campus apartment I was sharing with Wood. He said he was tired of seeing me so depressed and that I needed to go out on a date to cheer up. I countered that I didn’t know any girls at the University of Kentucky. (My ex lived in my hometown.)

The next thing I knew Wood had opened the student directory, closed his eyes and blindly dropped his finger on a female name. To my horror he called the random number and began engaging the coed who answered in conversation.

Wood turned on his legendary Southern charm and, within an hour, had convinced this lady and her roommate to meet two perfect strangers … us… at Jerry’s restaurant for coffee. The first order of business, after convincing me to go along with his cockamamie stunt, was to decide which of the girls was to be my date. I am less than 5 feet 5 inches tall so the shorter of the two was to be mine.

When the four of us met, I was pleased to find that my date was a petite five foot three, attractive with a cute New England accent. Unfortunately, Wood’s date did not meet his expectations, to say the least.

During the hour or so we were in their company proved to be a nice romantic interlude for me but not so for Wood. Over the next few days he never ceased to remind me of the sacrifice he made for my happiness and of his own bad fortune due to an ill thought out decision to set up a blind date!

Doodle and I relived and laughed over this story the rest of his life.

John ‘Deedie’ Martin

I was devastated to learn Lan Wood had passed away. Lan and I were friends for many years and I will miss talking with him with his wit. He was a dear friend who I will miss.