Less than a week after our October potluck dinner—where we all signed a thank-you card for him—Al Wood passed away in Florida on October 20, 2025.
Al was a great friend, neighbor, and longtime supporter of the Balsam Community Center. For many years, he and his wife, Joelle, were frequent attendees at the monthly potluck dinners. Al was also well known for winning many of the raffle cakes—no surprise, since he faithfully dropped a $20 bill into the raffle each month.
Al loved Balsam and the community here. His generosity made a number of meaningful improvements to the Community Center. He ran a plumbing business for more than 50 years, and recently donated new toilets and upgraded the bathrooms. Earlier, he donated the ceiling fans and attic fan that help so much with the heat during the summer months.
Al will be greatly missed by his neighbors and friends in Balsam. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Joelle and their family.
At our next potluck dinner, we invite everyone to take a moment to remember Al and the many ways he helped make the Balsam Community Center such a special place.
Here is the link to the obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/largo-fl/albert-wood-12564754
We found this photo of Al and Joelle from a potluck dinner back in 2016.