Henry Thomas Hood II

Henry Thomas Hood II, 88, of Sedalia, MO, passed away on Friday, November 10, 2023, at E.W. Thompson in Sedalia. Henry (Tom) was born on May 11, 1935, on a farm in the Beaman area northeast of Sedalia. He was the youngest of six children of Forrest E Hood and Susie May (Talley) Hood, who preceded him in death.

Tom graduated from Smith-Cotton High School in 1953. While in high school, he joined the Boy Scouts and attained the rank of Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow award. Shortly after graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy and served twenty-one years. During his military career, he was assigned shipboard duty for thirteen years and shore stations in Iceland, Japan, and Washington, D.C. For Vietnam service (1964 - 1970), he received several combat awards and citations for operations with the U.S. Marines. After Retiring from the Naval Service as a senior chief petty officer. He attended the University of Central Florida, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1979. In 1980, he returned to Sedalia, entered the field of respiratory therapy, and worked at Bothwell Hospital before moving to Belton, TX, where he spent five years at Scott and White Hospital and then to Cox Med Center in Springfield, MO, where he retired in May of 2000.

On January 3, 1981, in Sedalia, he was united in marriage to Mary Frances Wimer. They lived in Texas from 1984 to 1989, Springfield, MO from 1989 to 2018, and finally in Sedalia, MO, to be closer to family.

He enjoyed traveling, the arts, history, and culture of many countries and, in later years, nature walks, reading, sports, and nature shows on TV.

Tom is survived by his wife, Mary Hood; son, Christopher Hood of Las Vegas, NV; daughter, Catherine Rourke of Friendswood, TX; stepsons, Michael Dick, Kauai, HI, and Victor Dick, Vanzant, MO; stepdaughter, Roxanne Herrick of Sedalia, MO, 14 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren.

Besides his parents, Tom is preceded in death by his brothers, Raymond (Pat) Hood, James M. Hood, and Wayne L. Hood, and sisters, Norma Bishop and Betty McNeal.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at Rea Funeral Chapel.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the chapel.

The burial will be at Hopewell Cemetery, with military honors conducted by the United States Navy.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hopewell Cemetery Association in the care of Rea Funeral Chapel.