Ella Marie Wood

Ella Marie Wood passed away on September 22, 2026, at Salem Hospital following a brief illness. She was 81 years old. Ella leaves behind a lifetime of memories, laughter, kindness, and love that will continue to live in the hearts of the many people fortunate enough to have known her.

Ella was born on November 26, 1944, in Long Beach, California, to Edward and Elizabeth Lemen. She grew up in Boron, California, where she attended Boron High School.

It was through her brother, Bud, that Ella met the young man who would become the love of her life, William Glenn “Bill” Wood. Ella and Bill were married on September 18, 1959, in California, beginning a marriage and partnership that would span nearly 50 years.

In 1972, Bill and Ella packed up their family and began a new chapter in Oregon, settling in Albany. Ella went to work for the local school district in food services, where she became affectionately known as the “lunch lady.” She delivered lunches and spent her working years helping feed generations of schoolchildren. She remained with the school district until her retirement.

Retirement, however, did not mean slowing down for Ella and Bill.

Together, they built their dream retirement home overlooking beautiful Lake Billy Chinook. It was a place they loved in every season, whether the lake was sparkling beneath the summer sun or the landscape was covered in winter snow. For 10 years, they enjoyed the life they had worked so hard to create there.

Ella and Bill were truly a team. They were happiest when they had a project in front of them, and there always seemed to be another project waiting. They even worked together setting power poles and completing excavation jobs. Whether building, digging, fixing, or dreaming up what to tackle next, they enjoyed working side by side. Their life together was built not only on love, but on partnership, hard work, and the simple joy of doing things together.

Eventually, Ella and Bill left Lake Billy Chinook and made their home in Lyons, Oregon.

In 2009, Ella endured unimaginable heartbreak. Bill passed away on March 7, and just two months later, on May 10, their son, William Michael “Mike” Wood, also passed away. Losing both her husband and her son in such a short time was devastating. In the years that followed, Ella moved to Keizer, Oregon, where she lived with her daughter Krista.

Through all of life’s joys and sorrows, Ella never lost the wonderful sense of humor that made her so unforgettable.

She was funny beyond measure. Quick-witted and always ready with a perfectly timed one-line zinger, Ella had a gift for making people laugh. She could brighten a room simply by being in it, and people naturally gravitated toward her. She was warm, welcoming, genuine, and the kind of person who made others feel comfortable and at home.

That welcoming spirit was especially evident while her children were growing up. Their friends knew that Ella’s home was open to them. Over the years, so many people remembered and spoke of the kindness she showed them. To Ella, there was always room for one more person at the table.

And if you were lucky, that table might have been covered with enchiladas.

Ella’s homemade enchiladas were legendary. She made them completely from scratch, preparing everything the day before and then turning the kitchen into an assembly line. She could make hundreds at a time, gathering family and friends together for enchilada parties that became about much more than food. They were about laughter, conversation, togetherness, and creating the kinds of memories that last long after the dishes have been cleared away.

Ella also loved her sports. She faithfully cheered for the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners and enjoyed watching NASCAR. Her favorite driver was Tony Stewart, known as “Smoke,” and Ella loved him enough that she even named her cat Ole Smoke.

Family remained at the center of Ella’s life. She especially treasured the time she spent with her brother, Bud. The two shared a lifelong bond, and his passing in April 2026 was another tremendous loss for her.

Ella’s life cannot be measured simply in years or places lived. It is found in the people gathered around her kitchen, in hundreds of handmade enchiladas, in football and baseball games on television, in NASCAR races, in snowy days overlooking Lake Billy Chinook, in projects completed alongside Bill, and in the countless moments of laughter sparked by one of her perfectly delivered zingers.

Most of all, Ella’s life can be measured by how she made people feel.

She welcomed people. She fed them. She laughed with them. She worked hard. She loved deeply. Her door was open, her table had room, and her sense of humor could make even an ordinary day memorable.

Ella was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Elizabeth Lemen; her beloved husband, William Glenn “Bill” Wood; her son, William Michael “Mike” Wood; two siblings; and her grandson, Cory Trask.

She is survived by her daughters, Krista Wood-Goad and Kim Trask; her son-in-law Troy Trask; her grandchildren, Elly Goad, Amy Wood, Nick Wood, and Heather Trask; her great-grandsons, Liam Lueck, Dawson Lueck, and Baby Norman; and her sister. She also leaves behind extended family, friends, and the many people whose lives were made a little brighter simply because they knew Ella.

Those who loved Ella will remember her quick wit, her generous heart, the warmth she brought into a room, and the laughter that was never far behind. They will remember a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend who loved her family fiercely and whose home and heart always seemed to have room for one more.

A private family dinner will be held to celebrate Ella’s life, a fitting tribute to a woman for whom some of life’s very best moments happened with the people she loved gathered together around a table.