Portrait of Norman Wood. IMB Photo

Norman Wood, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in Antigua, Barbuda and Japan, died Oct. 9, 2025. He was 89. 

Norman was born Oct. 23, 1935, in Stonehaven, Scotland, to the late James and Elizabeth Wood. He received diplomas in theology from the Bible Institute of Southern Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, and the Baptist Theological Seminary in Johannesburg, South Africa. He later received the Master of Divinity from Luther Rice College and Seminary in Lithonia, Georgia. 

When seeking missionary appointment, Norman recalled that, as a child, religion and worship had no place in his home whatsoever. When he was invited to church by a friend, he was immediately impacted by what he experienced. The following week, he returned to church and gave his life to Christ. He wrote, “I did not realize the significance of that act of faith, but it became more apparent as the Holy Spirit worked in my life. My first act as a Christian was to buy myself a Bible.”  

While studying at the Bible Institute of Southern Africa, he met Maureen Wade. They were married on Feb. 4, 1961. Norman wrote, “We both had the same desire and motivation to put Christ first and to be missionaries to the Far East.”  

After they married, Norman was called as pastor to a church in East London, South Africa. Following seminary, he served as pastor of a small church in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) for two years. He then became a combat chaplain for 13 years and had the opportunity to witness to presidents, prime ministers, generals and troops. In 1980, he entered the South African Navy for two years. In 1986, Norman and Maureen immigrated to the U.S. with their family. He was pastor of Tallaweka Baptist Church in Tallassee, Alabama, and then pastor of Daphne (Alabama) Baptist Church. 

In 1992, the International Mission Board appointed Norman and Maureen missionaries to Japan. He served as senior pastor at Yokohama International Baptist Church. They later served in Antigua and Barbuda.  

A funeral service was held on Oct. 23.