Obituary of Charles Irvin Wright

Charles Irvin Wright (“Irv”) was born May 2, 1927 in LaGrande Oregon to Nellie (Gray) and Orville Wright. After growing up in LaGrande, he attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, majoring in music. Mr. Wright served in the US Army during the Korean War. Irv spent his career conducting student orchestras primarily in Tacoma and Olympia. During his time in Tacoma, he had a blind date with former Whitman classmate Helen young. At age 36, he married Helen and became “dad” to her children, Terilee and Steve Allsop. Helen and Irv’s son Scott was born the following year on Irv’s birthday. Irv and Helen made beautiful music together through 46 years of marriage. With Helen’s steadfast support, Irv built the Tacoma Youth Symphony from a small student group to two full orchestras, one of which participated in the International Festival of Youth Orchestras in Switzerland in 1970 and again in Scotland in 1975. Mr. Wright was said to draw the very best from his students, inspiring them to play better than the sum of their individual abilities. The Wright home in Fircrest rocked with music as Irv and Helen taught violin and piano and each of the children practiced his/her own instrument. In 1975, the Wrights moved to Olympia where he led the Olympia and Capital High orchestras, and founded the Capital Area Youth Symphony. After 33 years serving in Washington’s public schools, Mr. Wright retired. He then taught in Tucson, returning to Tacoma five years later. For his outstanding work with young musicians, Mr Wright received many honors and awards, such as: Commendations from the Alliance for Arts Education at the JFK Center for the Performing Arts in Wn, DC; from the SW Washington Music Educators Association for his “outstanding career in music education”; from the city of Tacoma for his “outstanding contribution”, from Thurston County for “bringing music to the youth of Thurston county”; was honored as Ambassador of Goodwill by Washington’s governor; and was inducted into the Washington Music Educators’ Association Hall of Fame. In 1980, the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association established the C Irvin Wright Award to be given each year to an outstanding student. A plaque in his home states “Talent without direction and inspiration makes no music. You have made music.” Mr. Wright was a long-time member of the Methodist Church. After a lifetime of dedication to his students and family, Mr. Wright went home to be with God on March 8. He leaves a tremendous musical legacy and is survived by Helen, Teri and husband David Howat (Sequim), Steve and his wife Susan (Sumner); Daughter-in-law Mary McCarthy (Lynchburg, VA), grandchildren BrookAnn and Janelle Howat, Brenna and Scott Allsop, and Dylan Wright. Son, Scott preceded him in death in 2008. A celebration of Irv Wright’s life will be held Sunday, March 21st at First United Methodist Church in Olympia at 2:30 PM. Memorial Donations can be made to the church, or to the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association.