Rosemary (Vail) Wood Obituary (1924 - 2024)

Rosemary (Vail) Wood, 99, of Pana, passed away Monday, September 2, 2024 in Pana Health & Rehab. She was born October 31, 1924 in Chicago, IL and raised in Beecher City. Rosemary was a Depression era and WWII rationing survivor. She worked in retail in the South Carolina beach tourist towns, and also spent time in Denver as a private nanny and drove a Head Start bus in California. Rosemary went on to attend Lake Land College as a middle-aged student, over the protests of her farming husband. Rosemary divorced in her late 40’s, after 27 years of marriage. She proudly let her independence flag fly! She drove cross-country several times and toured Europe once because she said “You never know when you’re going to get another chance to do something like this.” Rosemary never stopped being a student of life and never met a stranger she couldn’t talk to or make friends with. Rosemary is survived by her daughters: Jeanie Brachear and Trish Brodock and son, William Wood. She was preceded in death by parents, Walter & Mary (Ricketts) Vail and her daughter, Lena Devore. Flowers, cards, cookie and candies may be sent to the Rosemont Wing Nurses Station in Rosemary’s name at Pana Health & Rehab, 1000 E. Sixth St., Pana, IL 62557, who have been her daily caregivers and family for quite a few years. Cremation rites will be accorded and no services are planned. McCracken-Dean Funeral Home is assisting the family.