default Photo by James Short.
Middle-schoolers, faculty and staff of Norwood-Fontbonne Academy in Chestnut Hill gathered Monday morning in prayer to remember the tragic loss of Deborah Wood, 70, and her husband Stephen Sr., 74, two stalwart school and community members who died in an April 4 Upper Dublin fire.
The Wood’s son, NFA middle school teacher Stephen Wood Jr., 35, escaped the fire at the Bellaire Avenue home in the early morning hours. He is an alumni of NFA, as are his two sisters, according to Chestnut Hill Local.
NFA parent Regina Hearn, per the article, remembered how Wood’s words stuck with her more than a decade after the former NFA assistant principal of curriculum and instruction addressed the graduating class at commencement.
Hearn called the moment “profound” because Wood said just one word to the students: Beloved. It was her character to be that warm and full of humor, according to the article.
Wood retired in 2015 after 18 years at the school, according to the report.
School President and Principal Dr. Ryan Killeen wrote a letter to the school community last week, calling the Woods “dedicated and deeply involved NFA parents,” pointing out that Stephen Sr. would run the school’s famous Snowball Tournament, per the article.
Hearn also remembered when Deborah gave her son a ride from one campus to the other, assuring her that a ride was arranged for her son.
“She was the face of Norwood-Fontbonne,” she said in the article.
The independent Catholic academy educates preschool through eighth grade on two campuses at 8891 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia.
Read more on the tribute to the Wood family here.
First responders arrived on scene of the fire with entrapment at 4:13 a.m., encountering flames venting through the windows of the home. Wood Jr. had escaped and reported his parents were trapped inside.
Wood Jr. was taken to Temple University Hospital for treatment of burns and smoke inhalation, officials said.
Upon entering the home, firefighters found Stephen Sr. lying on the first floor of the home, and he was immediately removed and later pronounced dead at the scene. The body of Deborah was later found inside of the home during the subsequent investigation, according to township officials.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Upper Dublin Township Fire Marshal, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal’s Office.
Fort Washington Fire Company was assisted at the scene by units from the Upper Dublin Police Department, Community Ambulance Association of Ambler, and other area fire companies.
