BELGRADE -Valton L. Wood, Jr., 77, of Belgrade, passed away on Monday, March 9, 2020, at Maine General Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. “Val” as he was known, was born August 4, 1942, in Waterville, the son of Valton L. and Eva (Dustin) Wood, Sr. He grew up in Oakland where he attended the public schools, and then graduated from Williams High School where he played football and baseball. He graduated from the University of Maine and later earned a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Rhode Island. He also served in the United States Marine Corps and Naval Reserves.Val started his career as a budget analyst for the City of Hartford, Connecticut. He returned to Maine where he began a successful 35-year career in information technology for Maine State Government. During this time, he led various early initiatives for standardizing systems development and project management, and for providing support of enterprise level systems for budgeting, accounting, and human resources. With his strong sense of community and public service, Val served for over 10 years as a Maine State Credit Union Board Director, participated in the Waterville Jaycees, and also volunteered for a brief time on the Belgrade Board of Appeals. Val enjoyed fishing with his sons, vegetable gardening, walking his dog, hiking and bird watching, and traveling. He loved to listen to bluegrass, Celtic, and Acadian music as well as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, the Gaither Family, and the music from his teenage years. A good fiddle tune would set his feet tapping. Usually a very quiet man, he would just laugh out loud watching Victor Borge or Carol Burnett. He loved going on cruises, and his favorite places included Alaska, the Panama Canal, and St. Petersburg, Russia. Closer to home his favorite places to visit included Wolf Neck Woods, Acadia National Park, and Prince Edward Island.Most important was Val’s love for his parents, for his sisters, and for his children and their families. He enjoyed large family gatherings, especially any event where he might visit with any of his 52 first cousins. He took tremendous pride in his children, and his face would light up when they, and his grandchildren, and great grandchildren visited. He loved them all so very much. Val was a quiet, gentle, and modest man who touched many lives and made our world a much better place. He had a dry sense of humor, went through life with a calm and easy demeanor, and brought common sense to any situation. He will be greatly missed by his friends, colleagues, and especially his family.He was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his companion of 32 years, Glenda Winn; his four children, Jennifer Gombos and her husband, Bill of Oakland, Kevin and his wife, Kim of Oakland, Carrie Stott of Holliston, Mass., and Jonathan of Augusta. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, Sam, Amanda, Brooke, Emily, Ben, Libby, Charlie, Adrien, and Maya; and four great-grandchildren.Val’s family is grateful for the care and compassion he received from staff at Bedside Manor of Oakland, and from staff and doctors at Maine General Augusta. A funeral service will be held at 11 am on Saturday, March 21, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 60 Eustis Parkway, Waterville. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Graveside services will be in the spring.An online guestbook may be signed, and memories shared at www.familyfirstfuneralhomes.comArrangements are by Wheeler Funeral Home & Cremation Care, 26 Church St., Oakland.In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Val’s memory to:Alzheimer’s AssociationMaine ChapterP.O. Box 96011Washington, DC 20090-6011https://www.alz.org/

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