Dr. Don J. Wood, age 85, passed away peacefully at his home in Lexington, KY on July 5, 2022 with his family around him.
Don is survived by his children Wendy Wood (Jack May), Doug (Kate) Wood, and Jana (William) Faith, many wonderful grandchildren, and the children and grandchildren of his wife, Janet. Don was preceded in death by his wife of 17 years, Janet Kelsey Wood (married in 2005).
Don was born July 28, 1936 in North East, PA to Glenn and Elizabeth (Beil) Wood, but spent most of his childhood in Corry, PA. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon (Carnegie Tech) with his PhD in Civil Engineering. After a short time at Clemson and Duke, Don spent most of his career as a professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky. He won numerous academic and research awards, both at UK and nationally. He became internationally known as the world’s premier expert in his field of transient hydraulics and the development of KYPipe and Surge software.
Don was an amazing academic, many-times-honored professor, entrepreneur, golf champion, tennis player, an almost-astronaut, a generous neighbor, but mostly a wonderful dad who both led his family into great adventures, and was simply there for them. Many friends and neighbors will remember the open-door friendliness and hospitality of the Wood family home in the neighborhood of Westmorland in Lexington, KY. Don also loved mystery novels, PBS programs, bicycling, and traveling to Great Britain.
There was truly no one like him, not in his profession or as a person. He will be truly, deeply missed by family, friends, and colleagues alike.
There will be a visitation on July 9, 2022 from 1 – 3 pm at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home, 3421 Harrodsburg Rd. Lexington, KY.
Remembrances
Interview with Dr. Don J Wood by Dr. Lindell Ormsbee for the WDSA History Project
Dear Wood family We am writing to extend to you the condolences of the Kibbutz Kfar Haruv and Aquestia families on the passing of Dr. Wood – a special man to whom we owe a great debt. Dr. Wood recognized the special contribution that we made to the public in the field of drinking water and, with the help of his and his team’s academic and technological developments, he made our products accessible to the world. We owe him a considerable part of our success, along with our thanks for his empathy, for his extraordinary support, for enveloping us in friendship and affection, and special thanks for his professional direction. Dr. Wood knew how to lead us to achieve professional excellence in the field of hydraulics, and directed us to delve deeper into the field of water shock. With his help, we were able to find concrete solutions to problems in the world’s water systems – solutions that make the lives of many people so much easier. May his memory be a blessing. In appreciation Aquestia – A.R.I., Dorot, OCV
Aquestia – A.R.I., Dorot, OCV
Don was such a help whenever I used the KY Pipe modeling software. He would walk me through and troubleshoot my files any time I asked and never made it seem like it was any inconvenience to him. I am so sorry to hear of his passing.
Terri Schaffer
Dr. Wood taught me Fluids II when I was an undergraduate student in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky. He was a great teacher whose impact led me to specialize in water resources engineering. He was great mentor and always willing to help. He was a true genius and a great researcher. His contributions will be remembered forever. The hydraulics community has lost a great contributor. I will miss him a lot.
Mohammad Tufail
I was suprised with the notice about Professor Wood. I knew Prof. Wood in 1982 , when he came to São Paulo, Brasil, for a lecture in São Paulo University. I participated in some shorts courses in Lexington, using KyPipe and the SURGE programs that opened many opportunities for my personal development in Consultant area. May I offer my condolences for the loss of Professor Wood to his family and KYPIPE’s team. Regards
Carlos Augusto Menezes, Shaft
Many of our colleagues and clients may not realize that KYPipe is a family-owned and -run company. All three of Dr. Wood’s children work with KYPipe, Wendy Wood, Doug Wood, and Jana Faith, as well as Dr. Wood’s nephew, Eric Liebenauer, and step-daughter, Lisa Akerly. One can only imagine the deep sense of loss everyone in the company is feeling right now. Gone is the person who shaped our careers and made our livelihoods possible, as well as father, uncle, and step-father.
Jana Faith, daughter, Tech Support Engineer, and company co-owner.
Don was such a fantastic person. I will always remember him and truly appreciate all that he did to help me through the years.
Frank Knowles Smith III, Critical Surge Control
I am going to miss my mentor and someone I could always count on. Its a great loss to the civil engineering community of the world. May his soul rest in peace.
Dr. Srinivasa Lingireddy, Fluidhammer Consultancy and KYPipe, LLC
My deepest sympathy for the great loss to your family and the Water Industry. I will remember and honor Don’s contribution to complex dynamic phenomenon and believe that this will even grow in years to come.
Prof S. J. van Vuuren, Sinotech
I owe so much of my career to his mentorship and friendship. I would not be where I am today without him. In addition to serving as my mentor, he was an early and significant pioneer in the field of water distribution modeling. Many people may not know that he first got started working for NASA, doing research on a transient flow problem that was occurring in the early US rocket engines. He then did research on the potential impact of gravity or weightlessness on laminar flow in the human circulatory system which ultimately led to the development of KYPIPE. He was actually in the first group of non-military US NASA astronaut candidates in the early 60s and made it all the way through the selection process to the final cut. He once told me about the time that Alan Shepard called him while he was already a faculty member at the University of Kentucky to let him know that he did not make the final cut. NASA’s loss was our gain and the rest is history. He will be greatly missed.
Lindell Ormsbee, P.E., P.H., Ph.D., D.WRE, Director, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, Raymond-Blythe Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky
[This is] the end of an era of someone who has left a profound mark on hydraulic system analysis.
Dr. Bryan Karney, University of Toronto
Very sad news. Don was a very special person who contributed to the world from his great knowledge, expertise, and experience, but remained a down-to-earth good and friendly human being, what we call “a mentch”. He will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace.
Naftali Zloczower, ARI Flow Control Systems, Israel
I will always be grateful for the help I received from Dr. Wood in my early years of hydraulic modelling.
Luis Conti, Ingeniería de Fluidos
Indeed very sad news. We really lost the pioneer of the water industry and hydraulic transient. He will remain in our memories for his humility, simplicity, and contribution to humanity.
Mokhtar Morsy. Hydraulic Department Manager, Fluid Hammer Consultancy Services-Egypt
Dear friends of the KYPipe Family. Sad news… The Fluidotech/Brasil Team wishes the Kypipe Family peace and condolences in this difficult time. Talking about Dr. Wood is having very good memories of his presence in Brazil. His competence, intelligence and a deep love for engineering always excited all of us who had the privilege of knowing him. Absolutely, he will be sorely missed for all us. In particular situation, my sadness is twofold.
Carla Veiga, Fluidotech
So sorry to read about Don Wood’s passing. He is remembered for the legacy that he has left us and all of society.
Morris L. Maslia
Great Man ! Taught me so VERY Much and will be DEEPLY MISSED. God Bless DJW
Mike Hager
I am so very sorry to hear of Don’s passing. He was indeed among the early leader of distribution system modeling and engineering. Sic transit gloria mundi.
Professor Emeritus Uri Shamir, F.ASCE, F.AGU, F.EWRI, F.IUGG, Dist.M.ASCE, Faculty of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
I learnt much about surge mitigation technology through Surge /Transurge since 2007. It is the Surge /Transurge that makes transient research and subsequent surge protection easy to engineers. Many Chinese engineers have become in surge control master via this Surge /Transurge software tool featured easy to learn and apply. Dr. Don J . Wood will be solely missed for all of us. Shenzhen Farada/China
Chen Yifei, Shenzhen Farada/China
Don will go down in history as the hydraulic modeling pioneer and a contributor that changed the industry. He will be sorely missed.
Lisa Akerly, Sales/Marketing, KYPipe, LLC
It was an honor to have met and taken lessons from Dr. Don Wood himself…hydraulic modeling superstar. His contribution to Hydraulic Engineering forever changed how such computations are done – simple and easy. As a result of his immense contribution, he will always live in our hearts. Rest in peace DJW.
Muzaffar Yusupov, Montebello Group Inc., Project Manager, Transient Hydraulic Analysis
I am very sorry to hear that Dr Don had passed away on 7/5, it’s really a great loss to the industry. Please accept my heartfelt condolences. My heart goes out to you after this sudden loss. You’re in my thoughts and prayers. Dr. Wood will never be forgotten. We will treasure our memories of him. On behalf of our entire team please accept our deepest sympathies.
Stella, Shinlee pipe technology
No Fields Found.I recall my meeting with Dr. Wood in Lexington many years ago, when I just started studying transient calculation- and no doubt he was my [indirectly] mentor, through his books and manuals. A great loss to all of us. My condolences to the family and KU team.
Giora Heimann, Technical consultant, Aquestia (ARI, Dorot, OCV)
