[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 66 (Thursday, May 10, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E767]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING HOBSON PATRICK WOOD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 10, 2012

  Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to honor one of 
the most prominent leaders in my District.
  Hobson Patrick Wood, or Pat as he was known by everyone, passed away 
recently at the age of 83. He was well-known and beloved in Knoxville 
for his endless optimism and service.
  Pat was a longtime friend of mine, and my District is a better place 
because of him and his tireless effort to make Knoxville a better 
place, both through his business ventures and through community 
service.
  He is probably best known for his real estate and insurance firm, the 
Wood Agency, which he created in the 1950's. He later went on to form 
the Lawler-Wood group, which is responsible for developing large 
portions of downtown Knoxville, including the old Whittle building now 
housing the U.S. District Court and my Knoxville District office. Much 
of the downtown skyline of Knoxville is a product of Pat's community 
development work.
  His business partner, Rodney Lawler, remembered Pat as one of the 
most generous people he has ever known. He told the Knoxville News 
Sentinel the only disagreement the two men ever shared was when Pat 
tried to give him too big a share of a deal they were working on. ``We 
had a disagreement, a sizeable disagreement, over him being too 
generous to me,'' Lawler said.
  Pat loved Knoxville and spent his entire career there, never losing 
touch with East Tennessee despite great personal success.
  He also served the community as a political leader, being elected to 
the Knox County Court and serving on the board of the 1982 World's 
Fair, which he was instrumental in bringing to Knoxville.
  I offer my condolences to his three children, five grandchildren, and 
devoted wife of 25 years, Brenda, who said she will remember Pat as ``a 
loving husband and father and friend.''
  I too will remember Pat as a good family man who touched the lives of 
hundreds of people in many positive ways.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my Colleagues and other readers of the Record to 
join me in remembering Pat Wood and the immeasurable impact he made on 
my District.

                          ____________________