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Norm Wood mourned; led Detroit Building Trades

Date Posted: February 19 2010

Norm Wood, who served as secretary-treasurer of the Greater Detroit Building and Construction Trades Council and as Business Manager of Iron Workers Local 25, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010. He was 74.

An iron worker since 1957 when he initiated into New York Local 440, “Woodie” transferred into Local 25 in 1963. He served as President/Business Agent in Local 25 from 1976-1982, and then as Business Manager/Financial Secretary-Treasurer from 1982 to 1988.

He came to work at the Greater Detroit Building and Construction Trades Council in 1988 as a Business Representative. For two years he assumed the day-to-day leadership at the council as its Secretary-Treasurer until his retirement on May 1, 1994.

Tall in stature and almost always in good humor, Norm told The Building Tradesman upon his retirement: “If there’s one thing I’d like to say to our members, it’s be proud of your union and the work that you do.”

Norm is survived by his wife Irene, son Dave (a Local 25 member), daughter Michelle, son Larry, and seven grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by daughter Barbara.

“Over the years I never hesitated to consult with Norm, he was always a wealth of knowledge,” said Patrick Devlin, secretary-treasurer of the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council. “And what a great guy, always upbeat, always positive. He’s going to be missed.”

Norm’s handshake frequently included the greeting “gimmee four,” since he lost a thumb as an iron worker.

“He was really like a godfather of the Iron Workers Local 25,” said current Business Manager Jim Hamric. “Norm led our local through an important period of time, when we bought and moved into our Novi union hall. We all looked up to him, and he was always looking out for the membership and the retirees. What a great guy.”