Foncine F. Wood

Foncine F. Wood left her earthly pain behind on Saturday, July 23, 2011, listening to the sound of ocean waves on the beach and with a gorgeous pink sunset in the distance, which was just the setting she had requested. She was surrounded by loving family and resting comfortably after a long and difficult fight. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends and admired for strength in the face of severe adversity. Born Foncine Fortson in Kokomo, Indiana, on September 26, 1945, to parents Richard Merle Fortson and Marianne Patterson Fortson (deceased April 2010), she is survived by her father Merle, her sister Fiona Fortson Janelle (Larry), her husband of 44 years, James L. (Jim) Wood, and her two wonderful children, James L. Wood Jr. (Lisa Bodvar) and Jennifer L. Wood (Mark Anthony Ryder) as well as loving niece Caitlin Janelle, nephew Cameron Janelle and two beautiful Pembroke Corgi dogs, Annie and Macaulay. Foncine and Jim met in college at Indiana University-Bloomington in late 1963 and married June 10, 1967 in Kokomo, Indiana. They were rarely separated in the 47 years since that chance meeting at a fraternity party despite separate careers that involved significant travel for both. They raised their children in Munster, Indiana and Naperville, Illinois. Foncine was an avid reader, equestrian mom, adventurous traveler, golfer and enthusiastic supporter of all things related to children and animals. Foncine attended Kokomo High School where she graduated with honors in June 1963 and continued her education at Indiana University-Bloomington. Over the next two decades of working and raising children, she was also able to earn an Associate’s Degree in Computer Programming from Purdue University as well as a Bachelor of Science-Computer Science at North Central College and a Master of Science-Management from National-Louis University. Foncine’s desire to read about, plan and actually take a wide variety of world trips with husband Jim and other family members to exotic places was the highlight of most of her life stories, besides those related to her children. Those trips included her beloved Hawaii, as well as exotic foreign locations like Bali, Indonesia; Phuket, Thailand; Bora Bora, Polynesia; Nepal; India; China; Hong Kong; Singapore; Japan; Malaysia; the Tuscany region of Italy; Germany; Ireland; South Africa, and most recently in July 2010 to see Lance Armstrong finish his last Tour de France on the streets of Paris, as a guest of the Livestrong Foundation. She loved the company of good friends either playing golf, watching a movie, attending a raucous party or playing cards or board games - laughing, but serious about winning. She will now be able to plan and take all the other trips she had envisioned. A Celebration of Life will be held in her memory from 5:00-7:00 PM on Saturday, August 13 (a lucky family number and sister’s birthday) at the Eagle Harbor Golf Course Clubhouse at 2217 Eagle Harbor Parkway, Fleming Island, FL 32003. Family and friends are invited to this informal gathering to share unique life stories about their association with Foncine over the years she’s been with us. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given in her honor to Community Hospice of North East Florida (Community Hospice Foundation, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257), Safe Animal Shelter of Orange Park, FL Inc. (Safe Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 65597, Orange Park, FL 32065) and the LIVESTRONG Foundation (LIVESTRONG National Mail Processing Center, P.O. Box 6003, Albert Lea, MN 56007-6603). Please sign the family’s online guestbook at www.broadusraines.com. Cremation arrangements under the care of Broadus-Raines Funeral Home, 501 Spring St. Green Cove Springs, FL 32043, (904) 284-4000.