Michael N. Wood, 85, husband of Mary (Minturn) Wood resident of Hamilton-Wenham, MA, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 24, 2020 from a traumatic brain injury hours following a fall after bravely struggling with dementia for several years. Born in Philadelphia, PA he was the son of the late Dr. H. Curtis Wood Jr. and (Margaret L. (Brown) Wood. In addition to his wife, Mike is survived by two sons Peter and Michael of the Hamilton-Wenham area, his daughter Christina Donovan and four grandchildren of Upperville, VA and his older brother Curtis Wood of Naples, FL. He was predeceased by his oldest brother Theodore Wood of Santa Rosa, CA. Mike was an avid tennis player, traveler, environmentalist, philanthropist, clever and eloquent writer, self-taught pianist, and unwavering animal lover always with his loyal dog by his side. He graduated from Phillips Academy-Andover and then went to the University of Virginia for two years before leaving to serve as a Naval Pilot for five years where he flew throughout Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Arctic, and the Caribbean. Following his Navy duty, he finished up his studies at the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated with honors, majored in journalism, played on the varsity squash team and was a member of the Delta Psi Fraternity. After fundraising for Penn, and then teaching English for a few years at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, MA, Mike could not resist turning his lifelong passion for flying into his full-time career over the next 30 years for Delta Airlines where he ultimately earned the title of Captain. Upon retirement, Mike was active supporting various environmental and animal welfare organizations and spent much of his time enjoying his beloved summer home on Squam Lake, NH he visited annually beginning in childhood. With a grin, smirk, or twinkle in his eye, Mike could often be found telling humorous stories to anyone who would listen about his adventurous life, inserting little hints of sarcasm with his playful, creative, witty, and often dry sense of humor. Mike enjoyed indulgences like his series of antique sports cars and various aerobatic 2-seater planes where his legacy remains as the bravest, fairly insane, but undeniably competent pilot as he continued performing loops, barrel rolls and other tricky maneuvers over the lake until he was 80 years old! Time to Fly the Friendly Skies Forever Free, Captain Wood. A celebration of life will occur during the summer of 2021 on Squam Lake. Donations to his favorite charities in his memory can be made to the following: AnimalsAsia.org, PrimarilyPrimates.org or SquamsLandTrust.org. "When you once have tasted flight, you will always walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you will always be.” - Leonardo da Vinci - Arrangements by the Campbell Funeral Home, 525 Cabot Street, Beverly. Information, directions, and condolences at www.campbellfuneral.com.