He liked travel, lived in exciting places, and knew famous people.  For many years he was manager of the S&W Cafeteria, five blocks from the White House in Washington, D.C.  It was Harry Truman's favorite place to eat lunch.  G. B. kept a scrapbook of memorabilia.  He also knew Chiang Kai Shek, ruler of China.  --Not bad for a teenager who ran away from the orphanage.  When he did that our grandmother cried, saying, "The boy is too big to be a child, but too young to be a man."

And G.B. married two terrific women both of whom he met during vacations in Florida.  His first wife Jean was much older than he.  They married while he was still a teenager.  She was a music teacher at Wesleyan College and the daughter of a prominent Spartanburg, S.C. physician.  They had a daughter, Sara Ruth.  Then Jean developed multiple sclerosis.  Her disease became progressively disabling.  G.B. deserted his family, leaving 12-year-old Sara Ruth with the dilemma of managing her invalid mother.  Sara Ruth herself became ill with appendicitis and had an emergency hospitalization.  At this point Jean was placed into a nursing home where she eventually died.  Sara Ruth suffered through a childhood of various foster homes.  She turned out wonderful, thanks to internal strength and a good marriage to a fine husband, Ray Fuller.

G.B.'s second wife Helen is remarkable.  Helen studied art at the Chicago Art Institute and enjoyed doing watercolor paintings.  She became employed in a very responsible position at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C.  During World War II, she spent millions of dollars purchasing U.S. goods to supply the British war effort.  Helen was awarded a medal by King George for her contributions.  Helen's religious beliefs are Universalist (she thinks eventually all evolve to be with God; no Hell), and she was quite an influence on my youngest daughter Kay.  Helen helped my oldest daughter Nan start a stamp collection, sending her stamps saved off mail sent to the British Embassy.  Helen was a penpal to both of my daughters.  Helen is also the person who introduced Lee, Harris's youngest son, to "Cuthbert", his invisible friend, with whom he played the rest of his childhood.  Helen and G.B. had a good marriage, no children.

In September, 1992, G.B. had a heart attack.  After a difficult few days in the hospital, he died.  At his request, his body was returned to Middle Georgia and buried in the Wood family country cemetery in Twiggs County.  Presently Helen is confined in a wheelchair and living at a nursing home in Maryland.