Donald Ray Wood

Rev. Dr. Donald (Don) Ray Wood, 78, died Wednesday, December 31, 2025 at his home in Macon, Georgia after his courageous journey with primary progressive aphasia.

Don was born in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania on July 1, 1947 to the late Donald and Rella (Bainey) Wood. He grew up in Philipsburg with an extended family whom he loved and adored. After graduation from Philipsburg-Osceola High School, Don attended Clarion University. In 1967, he was drafted into the Army and served honorably as a chaplain's assistant in Fort Jackson, South Carolina as a Specialist. Following his military service he completed his degrees at Clarion with a Bachelors in Political Science and a Masters in Communications. He married Dorothy (Hoffman) Wood in 1969 and moved to Atlanta, he completed a Masters of Divinity at Candler Theological Seminary at Emory University. He later received a Doctorate of Ministry at McCormick Theological Seminary at the University of Chicago.

An Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church for 50 years, Don devoted his life to ministry through communications. In 1977, he moved his family from Pennsylvania to Macon, Georgia to become the Executive Director of Good News Television (GNTV) in Macon, Georgia, a media ministry of the South Georgia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church.

Don worked to grow the ministry of the cable television channel in Macon known as Good News. What began as a small, volunteer-run cable channel with two hours of daily programming grew under Don’s leadership into a 24-hour television ministry with a professional staff and wide-reaching influence. In 1990, Don oversaw the expansion of GNTV into broadcast television station WGNM, further extending its mission to share the Gospel through media. This expansion provided Don an opportunity to share God’s word with more people and grow in house programming options.

GNTV Media Ministry became Don’s life’s passion. Beginning in 1978 with event support for the South Georgia Annual Conference, Don expanded the ministry’s reach to include comprehensive production services—lighting, sound, video projection, recording, and later, internet streaming. Over the next 34 years, he supported more than 150 Annual Conference sessions and countless Christian conferences, traveling extensively and merging his love for faith, communication, and storytelling.

Don’s ministry also flourished through film and photography. He contributed to numerous significant projects, including the 50th Anniversary of The Upper Room, the Come, Share, Rejoice series with United Methodist Communications, World Methodist Conference highlights from Nairobi, Singapore, Rio de Janeiro, and England, youth event productions, and a semester-long seminary course on John Wesley produced in collaboration with Wesley Theological Seminary and scholars from around the world.

When Don retired in 2012, GNTV was supporting an average of 65 events and producing 15 videos annually. During his career, he traveled to every state in the U.S. and to 15 countries worldwide. Even in retirement, Don continued to travel and joyfully support church events around the globe.

Don was a proud member of the United Methodist Association of Communicators (UMAC), receiving multiple Awards of Excellence and Certificates of Merit. He was named UMAC’s first Communicator of the Year in 1983 and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2020. A faithful member of the Macon Rotary Club for more than 40 years, Don’s service and leadership were recently honored. His work was also recognized by the Black Clergy Women’s group, Africa University, Clarion University, and many others.

Above all, Don cherished his family. He was deeply proud of the life he built with Dorothy and of his children and grandchildren. Known for capturing every moment through a camera lens, he was lovingly nicknamed “Pappyrazzi.”

Don is survived by his wife of 56 years, Dorothy Wood; son David Wood (Hope); daughter Deborah Holt (Patrick); grandchildren Sarah Wood, Ruth Holt, Micah Holt, and Hannah Wood; and many other extended family members and dear friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Don’s memory to Africa University a United Methodist Institution in Zimbabwe (https://africau.edu/) GNTV Media Ministry in Macon, GA (https://link.gntv.info/donate/).

A memorial service will be held at Vineville United Methodist Church in Macon, Georgia on January 10, 2026 at 1 PM with Rev. Dr. Marcus Tripp and Rev. Rebecca Duke-Barton officiating. Visitation will follow the service. A burial service will be held on January 5, 2026 at 11 AM at Dahlgren-Spewock Funeral Home in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania.

“Like cold water is to a thirsty soul, so is good news.” Proverbs 25:25

Please visit www.hartsmort.com to express condolences.

Hart’s at the Cupola, Hart's Mortuary and Cremation Center, 6324 Peake Rd, Macon, GA 31210 has charge of the arrangements.