Isabella Jane Stronach Wood

   Isabella Jane Stronach Wood, "Janie", loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on January 18, 2025. Born in Providence, RI to the late Thomas Hay Stronach and Anne Putnam Stronach, Janie was a proud resident of Raleigh, NC, for more than 70 years. 

   Janie began her formal education at Ravenscroft School and later attended St. Mary's High School, graduating with the class of 1962. She continued her education at St. Mary's College, where she graduated in 1964. It was during her time at St. Mary's that Janie met her future husband of 59 years, Mr. Thomas Benbury Wood of Edenton, NC, on the porch of the Zeta Psi fraternity house at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Their enduring love was marked by a lifelong connection to both Raleigh and Edenton, two places that would shape their lives profoundly.

    Janie was presented at the 1963 Terpsichorean Debutante Ball by her father, Mr. Thomas Hay Stronach, who was a founding member of the Raleigh Terpsichorean Society. This significant event marked a cherished milestone in her life, reflecting both her family’s deep roots in Raleigh and their active engagement in the city’s cultural and social traditions.

    Janie's passion for her community was evident in her active participation in numerous civic endeavors throughout Raleigh and the greater Triangle area. After graduating from St. Mary's College, where she had served as class Secretary, she began her career as an Assistant Librarian at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Her role there blended her love for art and community, and it marked the beginning of a lifelong commitment to service.

    During her tenure, Janie became deeply involved with several prominent organizations, including the Raleigh Fine Arts Society, the Colonial Dames, and the Junior League of Raleigh. She was a faithful servant of Christ Episcopal Church in Raleigh, where she served on the altar guild. She further dedicated her time as a volunteer at historic sites such as Haywood Hall and the Joel Lane House, helping to preserve Raleigh’s rich cultural history. 

   Beyond her civic contributions, Janie was well-known for her skill and enthusiasm as a card player. She frequently participated in bridge, canasta, hand and foot, and many other card games at the Carolina Country Club and in private homes throughout the area, forming enduring and meaningful relationships over those encounters.

    Her adventurous spirit shone brightly during her time in Edenton, especially amidst the challenges and restrictions imposed by the pandemic. She was a founding member of the “Covid Quartet,” a group of four resilient southern women who came together to play cards and share camaraderie, evoking the defiant spirit of Edenton’s original women leaders who orchestrated the historic “Edenton Tea Party Resolves” in 1774. Janie took great pride in this connection and its adherence to the strength and determination of the women who came before her.

    Janie is lovingly remembered by her devoted husband of 59 years, Thomas ‘Tom’ Wood. In addition to her husband, she leaves behind her cherished children, Thomas Benbury Paxton Wood and his wife Adrian of Edenton, NC, and Caroline Cameron Wood Hauser and her husband Bobby of Pilot Mountain, NC.

   Janie was a proud grandmother to her six beloved grandchildren: Kimberly, Lyric, Thomas, Russell, Blair, and Amos. She is also survived by her dear sister Anne Genter and her husband David, of Sewickley, PA along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews who will fondly remember her warmth and kindness.

   In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter Isabella Cameron Benbury Wood. 

   A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Edenton, NC on Friday, January 24, 2025, at 1:00pm. Friends may join the family for a reception at the St. Paul’s Parish Hall immediately following the service.

   In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in her memory be made to: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Foundation, P.O. Box 548, Edenton, NC 27932.