WOOD, Burns

Burns Wood
1922 – 2026
Burns Whytock Wood, beloved husband of Nena Wood, passed away in Taber on Saturday, March 21, 2026. After a life well lived, Burns has died at the age of 103 years. Burns was born in Taber on June 21, 1922, to Harold and Ida Wood, the fifth of eight children.
He will be buried beside his wife Nena Wood (née Davidson), who died in 1976. Burns was a widower for fifty years! He is survived by four daughters and one son, Lee Ann Anderson of Taber, Kathleen (Don) Wright of Lethbridge, Wendy (Tom) Saunders of Victoria, British Columbia, Ian (Debby) Wood of Taber and Denise (Rick) Heninger of Calgary. Burns and Nena gave rise to a numerous posterity of twenty six grandchildren, seventy five great grandchildren and twenty two great great grandchildren. All this from two lovely souls united in marriage in December 1945.
Burns grew up during the Great Depression on a sheep ranch and later on a sugar beet farm in the Taber area. He enlisted at age twenty in the Royal Canadian Air Force, during World War II. He trained as a pilot and served in the Royal Air Force Ferry Command, delivering aircraft to many far-flung destinations including Africa, India, England, Scotland, Iceland, West Indies, Brazil, etc. Burns graduated from the University of Alberta in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and moved to the family farm southwest of Taber.
Burns spent decades in public and church service. He worked for twenty eight years with the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers Association, at local and national levels. He was actively involved in church worship, holding many leadership positions in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. An eloquent speaker, he shared his wartime memories in many school auditoriums and at Remembrance Day ceremonies. Indeed, he loved to serve and associate with people of all backgrounds and nationalities.
Burns loved Canada, especially the shortgrass prairie of Wild Rose Country. He was proud to be an Alberta farmer and found joy in working outdoors. Burns led with good humour, empathy, patience and considerable charm. He was a unique and interesting man. He touched the lives of many and will be sincerely missed.
Relatives and friends are invited to meet with the family at the Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 – 48 Avenue, Taber on Friday,  March 27, 2026 between 6:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. ONLY, as no meet the family is scheduled prior to the funeral service on Saturday.
A private burial service will be held at the Taber Memorial Garden prior to the funeral service on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
The Funeral Service will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Taber Stake Centre, 4709 – 50 Avenue, on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 12:00 P.M. Condolences may be forwarded by visiting our website at www.southlandfuneral.com.
Those who are unable to attend and wish to view the service online may do so by visiting Burns’ obituary page on our website and clicking on the livestream link that will be available at 11:45 A.M. on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Barring any technical difficulties, the livestream will begin at 12:00 P.M.
Arrangements in care of Southland Funeral Chapel, Taber. Telephone: (403) 223-8778.