David Wood with Michele Liscio Patterson and former student Kari Adams Urban.
David Wood, beloved and respected former teacher and coach at Lake Highlands High School, has died. Wood retired from teaching in 2020 after more than 40 years as a Wildcat.
“In the pantheon of iconic LHHS teachers – of which there are many – David reigned supreme,” said Dr. Bob Iden, retired teacher, coach and principal at LHHS. “He established an unrelenting benchmark for excellence that continuously challenged everyone toward greater aspirations. The ‘League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ grieves the loss of its founder.”
Wood began teaching at Lake Highlands Junior High in 1975 and moved to LHHS in 1980. He was best known as the relentlessly challenging advanced placement senior English teacher for scores of Wildcat graduates. In his early years, he coached the school’s tennis team, and he later lobbied to teach non-AP English to bright students who might benefit from new challenges. He also did a stint as Bell Boy sponsor, where he enjoyed walking the sidelines at Wildcat Stadium, watching student athletes and spirit groups under Friday night lights. Spring was a busy time for Wood, as he was most always chosen by a student to attend RISD’s Top Ten Luncheon and a favorite for writing letters of recommendation for college, scholarship and internship applications.
“David was a dear friend of more than 30 years,” recalled Karen Clardy. “He was a diligent intellectual who shared his knowledge with thousands of Lake Highlands students over the years. The loss of this great man, father, friend and educator will be felt across the country.”
In 2018, Wood was awarded an honorary “Doctorate of Experience” by LHHS faculty and staff. The ceremony, which also included architecture teacher John Moore and geography teacher Jacque Pendarves, recognized the trio’s dedication to teaching and commitment to students.
“I graduated from a segregated high school – Paschal in Fort Worth – and I was proud to teach here because it was integrated, and students were integrated into the community,” Wood said upon receiving the honor. “That was a great source of pride to me. It showed me this was a healthy community that saw the value in every individual. Since then it’s become increasingly integrated with all different kinds of ethnicities, and that’s great, too.”
Wood was a champion of LHHS’ academic booster club from its inception in 2005. He encouraged teachers to brainstorm ideas for classroom “extras” which would make a big impact with student learning, and he urged fellow teachers to donate to the fund. Most years, he garnered 100% participation from campus educators, and that commitment inspired parent and community donors to dig deeper into their pockets.
“David Wood was an inspiring teacher for so many students, a rare talent,” remembered Jim Adams, chairman of the original Wild for Cats steering committee. “He came without hesitation when asked to join the first Wild for Cats campaign, and his leadership, insight and hard work were invaluable to the initial and ongoing successes of the academic boosters’ effort.”
“In Lake Highlands and all public schools, we are so terribly underfunded,” Wood explained. “As long as we have this same funding system, we’ll always be underfunded. I live here and I invest in my school and I lead by example. The thing about Wild for Cats is we can spend on what teachers and staff want to spend it on – things we see as a priority.”
“Thank you for teaching me how to read Shakespeare, for filling my pockets with impressive words like stichomythia, for instilling a deep love of learning and curiosity I carry with me to this day,” wrote Claire Collins, who graduated from LHHS in 1999 and went on to Mizzou’s famed journalism school. She now serves as development director for the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center and enjoys freelance writing. “Thank you for being my friend. Yours was the only edit I ever cared about.”
Laura Springfield starred in LHHS Theatre’s 2018 production of Little Shop of Horrors. She said Wood is “one of those teachers that you never forget.”
“He critiqued, inspired, frustrated and educated in the best ways. He supported the arts with a passion, and every book he owned was worn down with varying degrees of cracked spines. That’s a sign of someone with a deep love of reading. A lifelong scholar. He opened my eyes to new ways of looking at not only fine works of literature, but also life as a whole. He consistently pushed me to accomplish great things, and despite my occasional frustrations with him, he found ways to show me that I was capable of more than I originally believed.”
“His classes will always be some of my favorites, filled with fond memories,” continued Springfield. “He was a once in a lifetime educator and a Lake Highlands icon. Even though I know most people are mortal, I thought of the ‘Dark One’ as living forever.”
“David was so lovely to me,” said Casey Boland, who taught at LHHS with Wood and developed a longtime friendship. “He was a complicated man, but he was endlessly fascinating to talk to – wickedly funny and generous. He taught me not to cower, especially when it comes to doing right by kids.”
Wood was delighted to keep up with the accomplishments of his former students, but he was always bursting with pride to discuss his own children – Alex Ramsey, Kate Paradis and Spencer Wood. Services will be held Feb. 24 at 10:30 a.m. at Wilshire Baptist Church.
LHHS 1980-81 tennis team. Coach Wood is on the far right.
John Moore, Jacque Pendarves and David Wood receive a ‘Doctorate of Experience’ in 2018.
