Nathalie 'Sunny' Wood

Nathalie “Sunny” Henley Wood, age 89, of St. Johnsbury, VT passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 18, 2024, after a brief decline in her health.

Born on May 8, 1934, in Beverly, MA, she was the daughter of the late Rev. Kenneth Rundlett Henley and Dorothy Gillette Henley. Sunny lived in Danvers, MA until she was 8 years old, when her family moved to Greenfield, MA. After graduating from high school in 1952, she continued her education at the University of New Hampshire, majoring in Home Economics. While at UNH, Sunny met her future husband, Donald Dreesen Wood. They were married by her father, in Greenfield, MA on October 15, 1955.   After their marriage, they relocated to St. Johnsbury, VT where they raised their family. In 1974, Sunny and Don built their dream home on the shores of the Connecticut River in Waterford Springs, VT, where they lived until Don’s death in 2011, after which, she moved back to St. Johnsbury.

Sunny was a longtime member of South Congregational Church, where she was President of the Searchlight Fellowship.  As a lover of books, she worked at the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum for many years. Sunny will be remembered by her bright blue eyes.  She enjoyed taking her family for walks in the woods to look for the spring wildflowers and seasonal nature.  She took pleasure in reading, knitting, quilting and spending time with her lifelong friends.  Summers were spent with her family at their summer home on Lake Memphremagog, in Newport, VT, where she enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren play in the lake, sitting on the dock reading, watching the loons, taking boat rides, and canoeing with Don.

Survivors include her three children: Sandra Lee (David) Delude of Concord, NH; Elizabeth (Betsy) (Martin) Fortin of St. Johnsbury, VT; Kenneth Donald (Lisa) Wood of Waterford, VT.  She has five grandchildren: Donald Roland Delude (Jessamyn) of Hopkinton, NH; Jocelyn Marie (Jonathan) Vanasse of Irasburg, VT; Jennifer (Steven) McKinney of Concord, NH; Megan Elizabeth (Dagan) Levin of Park City, UT, Jaime Caroline Wood of North Ogden, UT and her granddaughter in law, Nicquelle (Shawn) Timson of Barnet, VT. She has nine great grandchildren: Kyleigh, Dreesen and Griffin Delude; Lydia and Gregory Vanasse; Lincoln, Brenna, Phinehas and Gloria McKinney.

She was predeceased by her husband, Donald Dreesen Wood, her son-in-law, Martin John Fortin and her grandson, 2^nd LT Joseph Douglas Fortin.

There will be a memorial service at 11:00am on Saturday, February 10^th at St. Johnsbury Academy’s “South Church Hall “ (The previous South Congregational Church), 1052 Main Street, St. Johnsbury, VT. Private burial will be at the convenience of the family in the Spring.

Sunny’s family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Joyce Dobbertin, Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice and the caregivers from Hands at Home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Sunny’s memory may be made to the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 1171 Main Street, St. Johnsbury, VT  05819.

Condolences can be shared at saylesfh.com