John H. Wood, lawyer in Bucks

John H. Wood Jr., 100, a Bucks County lawyer and a committed Quaker, died Friday, April 1, of respiratory failure at his home at Pennswood Village in Newtown.

"He had a passion for living and a curiosity about everything," said daughter Elizabeth Fritsch. "He found people fascinating and life wonderful."

Born to a Quaker family in Langhorne Manor, Mr. Wood never strayed far from his roots, physically or spiritually. Like his parents, Elizabeth Weeks Cadwallader and John H. Wood Sr., he was active in the Society of Friends.

He was a member of the Middletown Monthly Meeting, the Bucks County Quarterly Meeting, and the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. He served on many committees and held a variety of leadership posts, including clerk of the Middletown meeting.

Mr. Wood graduated from George School in 1933 and Swarthmore College in 1937. He received a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1940.

In 1941, he worked for the American Friends Service Committee in southern France, helping refugees escaping the Franco regime in Spain. He returned to the United States to perform alternative service as a conscientious objector during World War II.

In 1942, he married Jean Robertson Brown, with whom he had four children.

Early in his legal career, he worked for the City of Philadelphia, the War Labor Relations Board, and the firm of Duane, Morris, Heckscher & Roberts, now Duane Morris L.L.P.

In 1953, Mr. Wood moved with his family to Langhorne, where he opened a solo practice. The business grew into the law firm of Wood & Floge with the addition of partner Louis F. Floge Jr.

"Words that we seldom hear in this day and age best describe him . . . generous, thoughtful, and kind," Floge said. "As a general practitioner of law, he not only tried to solve the problems of his clients, but also took the time to lend a sympathetic ear."

In a tribute, Mr. Wood's family wrote, "John loved the practice of law and continued serving his clients into his early 90s."

He was active in the Bucks County Bar Association, serving as president in 1967. He also was a member of Kiwanis and a board member of Jeanes Hospital and Friends Fiduciary Corp.

Mr. Wood enjoyed spending summers on Long Beach Island and winters in Highland Park, Fla. His wife died in 2011.

Besides his daughter, he is survived by sons John and Roger; daughter Susan; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a sister; and a niece.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 7, at Pennswood Village, 1382 Newtown Langhorne Rd., Newtown. Burial was private.

Donations may be made to the John Bartram Association via bartramsgarden.org, or to the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting via www.pym.org.

bcook@phillynews.com

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