Kay K. Wood

Kay Key Wood, 78, of Annandale, Virginia passed away on September 1, 2016

Born in Washington, D.C. on November 22, 1937, she was the daughter of the late Henry H. Key and the late Irene M. Key.

Kay was a graduate of The College of William and Mary where she received her B.A. in English. After graduation, she lived and worked for several non-profit think tanks in New York City.   When she returned to Virginia, she worked for several companies and retired from IBM.   After her retirement, she earned an M.A. in linguistics from George Mason University and began her second career as an English as a Second Language instructor at Northern Virginia Community College. She and her late husband, Bryce Wood, were married in 1983.

Kay was most happy in the outdoors. She was an avid bird watcher and sailor. She combined her passion for nature and travel in the many trips she took, from sailing the Caribbean Sea to exploring the glaciers of Alaska. She was also a passionate teacher who helped her many immigrant students achieve their dreams.

She is survived by her son, Harold K. Ryland and his wife, Donna, of Leesburg, Virginia, her daughter, Mary R Healy and her husband, Terry, of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, three grandchildren, Joshua Ryland, Rachel Healy and William Healy, and her sisters, Linda Key and Sarah Burton.

A celebration of life will be held on October 14 th from 11:30-2:30 at Indigo Landing in Alexandria, Virginia. Memorial donations may be made to Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Attn: Membership Department, 6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403 or The Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011.