A Planned Celebration with Family and Friends Is Scheduled in September
“Just call me Colin.”
Today, we celebrate an individual who was truly the “most interesting man in the world”, Dr. Colin Box, Professor Emeritus, Old Dominion University, an inspiring teacher and incredible human being. Not many people can say of their work experience that they personally and profoundly touched the lives of 20,000 people, challenging their beliefs about life, health, and healing; many of whom went on to implement the lessons learned in their own careers.
Hailing originally from England and growing up in Canada, Colin attended Indiana University before returning as Flying Officer, Royal Canadian Air Force, piloting F-104s. He obtained an MS in Community Health, University of Western Ontario, an MS and PhD in Health Sciences, Indiana University, and a post-doctorate in Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri.
Colin spent the majority of his award-winning, storied career in Virginia as Assistant Professor School of Psychology; Chair, Graduate Program Director, and Associate Dean, College of Sciences and Health Professions; and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Eastern Virginia Medical School. He taught classes/courses for Indiana University, University of Missouri, the Army-Baylor Graduate Program in Health and Business Administration, Saint Louis University, and the University of Washington. His research interests included substance use and abuse, traditional and complementary medicine, the role of expectations and beliefs in healing, bioethics, crisis communication and leader development. His interest in global context led him to study healing practices in China, Taiwan, Australia, India, Nepal, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and the USA’s Four Corners region.
Colin was a charismatic, authentic, honorable individual with a restless spirit. He owned a small local marina, lived on a Westsail 32’ he took from Norfolk to the Azores, flew small planes as a private pilot, ran marathons, and rescued animals of all kinds.
Cherished by those whose lives he touched, he will be sorely missed. He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Dr. Suzanne J. Wood; stepson, Stephen Wood; his daughter, Alyssa B. Sapp and her family, Brian and Brianna, as well as his siblings, Gillian Wilson and Barry Box, and his “favorite” nieces and nephews in the US and Canada.
A planned celebration with family and friends is scheduled in September. Arrangements by Weymouth Funeral Home.