Stillman Wayne Wood

Stillman Wood, retired educator for Special Services in the Olympia School District passed away at home on January 11, 2025.

In his role as Director of Special Education beginning in the 60s, he became known both locally and nationally as a strong  advocate for children.  His leadership helped  to move the educational needle from  total exclusion for children with identified special needs  to an “education for all” philosophy that became  federal  law  PL94-142 in 1975. This meant change and an expanded responsibility for educators. Change is hard and especially in the beginning was met with controversy and resistance.  Luckily, Stillman was the man for the job!

And so his story begins…Stillman wore many hats in his lifetime, cowboy, farmer, intellectual, dad and hero to those who knew him so well….

Born in an abandoned coal miner’s shack in Idaho’s Teton Valley in 1938, Stillman grew up in an isolated Mormon farming community  where hard work, honesty, humility and isolation fused together. His first hardship came when rheumatic fever  sent him to bed for three months..and then it came again.  This time, heart damage determined  a  future in farming was no longer possible.   He began reading college catalogs.  Idaho provided free penicillin to prevent (and it did) future rheumatic fever events,  but where would college money come from?  So he sold his FFA farm animals, his horse and even a saddle.  His academic journey had begun.  With his work ethic and health restored, Stillman put himself through college by working at The Silver Dollar Saloon  and the Wort Hotel in Jackson Hole Wyoming for the next 4 years.

After graduation from the University, Stillman taught English in Moscow Idaho. Not what he had anticipated in terms of satisfaction, it was back to graduate school; this time at Washington State University  for counseling and guidance certification.  After a one-year placement at Potlach and Stillman, still searching for his perfect educational niche, so he enrolled in a psychology  program at the University of Idaho.  This program changed the trajectory of his life as school psychology did not yet exist in Idaho schools. He would have to move to Washington to find employment.

In the fall of 1966 he was hired as a School Psychologist for the Olympia Schools.   The next month, a one-time chance encounter with a high school teacher, Brenda Banjuh, resulted in his marriage to her 100 days later! Finally, at age twenty seven, happiness had found him. Coincidentally, Brenda was also raised on a farm and when Stillman “took his tie off”, he was now able to become that farm boy once again. Farm ambiance without the responsibility of milking cows and riding fences!  He wasn’t above getting his hands dirty on the farm though as he much enjoyed remodeling the farm house for Frank and Hazel Banjuh.

Life was good and then it got better. In 1971 his first son, Courtney was born followed by his second son Justin in 1973 and in 1978 daughter Angela arrived. Stillman was not as serious or as seriously taken with this audience!  His approach to discipline was usually, “What’s the meaning of this?” when misbehavior was on the horizon.  Courtney, Justin and Angela  sometimes affectionately  referred  to this as his “Homer”  (of the Simpsons) response.  It was a happy house.

It is clear that being “Dad” was his greatest  joy.  It inspired him in so many ways.  He discovered he was a teacher, architect, builder and gardener all “for the kids”. Here was a sweet secret life apart from his strenuous professional responsibilities. Now that we were five, the  family needed more space so first, Stillman designed our current residence built in 1980.  He then went on to create gardens, play structures, secret passages and trails. Today, all three offspring have  grown and have each have entered professions in education related fields., maintained respect for the importance that education  was impressed upon them which has brought them employment, insight and confidence along the way.   They are each confident, insightful  and  independent  citizens today.  We are proud of them.

After 35 years in the Olympia School District, Stillman retired from service there and wrote his autobiography.  The name of this book is “Straight Furrows” and documents his connections to and love of family  and  professional peers as they influenced his life path. It is a humble, inspiring, triumphant  recounting of “A Farm Boy’s Life Story”.

Stillman is survived by his wife, Brenda Wood, their children:  Courtney Wood, Justin ( Evie) Wood, Angela Wood, sister:  Roxie Miller, sister –in-law:  Eva (Tom) Finley, Grandchildren:    Nicole Wood, Jason Hinkle, Alexandria Wood, Jeremy Wood, Sarah Wood  Nephews:  Eric Wood, Clint Hendricks, Jacob Miller Nieces:  Judy Thompson, JaLee Greer, Jolene Mapes, Janet Thornton, Jerrae Gessel, Joy Robinson

A special thank you is extended to Providence Hospice staff, Dr. Vandekieft  and especially to Rob, who provided compassionate and substantive care to the entire Wood family.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. 

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