Joshua B. Wood (37) of Effingham

Joshua Benjamin Wood, 37, of Effingham, IL, passed away peacefully Saturday, March 30, 2019 at his home with his family and caregivers by his side.

A memorial mass will be held for Josh and his father, Lloyd at 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 12 at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Effingham. Entombment will be in Arborcrest Memorial Park in Effingham. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 11 at Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in loving memory of Josh to Community Support Systems, 618 W. Main, Teutopolis, IL 62467. Online condolences may be shared by clicking here.

Josh was born on November 1, 1981, in Effingham, IL, to Lloyd and Sue (Peters) Wood, beginning a life of repeatedly defying predictions and expectations. Josh was transferred to HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield the day of his birth and spent the first three and a half years of his life under the wonderful care of St. John’s doctors and nurses. Josh moved home to Lake Sara on May 1, 1985.

Josh learned American Sign Language, was a Special Olympian, and graduated from Effingham High School. Throughout his life, Josh and his family supported ARC, now Community Support Systems (CSS), planning and participating in more than 25 golf tournaments that became annual fundraising events for ARC and CSS.

Upon graduation from high school, Josh began working full time at CSS and continued there for 25 years. Josh lived on Lake Sara his entire life, frequently enjoying boat rides with his family and friends. He also enjoyed traveling, where he rode horses in Texas, visited with Mickey Mouse at Disney World, and swam in “the big water” on beach trips. Josh’s father Lloyd taught him to drive on the lanes around their home, and he was never involved in an accident.

Josh was among the longest-lived people in the world using a ventilator to breathe. He was an inspiration to all who met him, demonstrating that obstacles are to be overcome, and that differences are not diminishing, but make each of us unique.

Joshua is survived by his mother, Sue Wood of Effingham. He also leaves his grandmothers, Harriet Wood of Bloomington and Florence Peters of Effingham; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and an extended family of nurses and caregivers.

He was preceded in death by his dear father, Lloyd Wood; and his grandfathers, Hilton Wood and William Peters.