Obituary of Robert Lucian Wright

ROBERT L. WRIGHT Robert (Bob) Lucian Wright, 96, died peacefully at home on Sep. 12, 2010. Bob was born in Fredericksburg, Texas Feb.13, 1914 to George Edward Wright Jr. and Eva Mechler Wright, descendants of pioneers from Germany and Alsace-Lorraine. He was educated in San Antonio schools, joined the U.S. Navy in 1933, the height of the depression years, and retired as a Chief Machinist’s Mate in the 1950s. Bob was one of Tom Brokaw's "Greatest Generation", serving in the North Atlantic during WWII on the USS Greer, the first warship to be fired upon by the axis powers, and in the Southwest Pacific on the USS O’Bannon, one of the most decorated ships of that war. After retirement the family moved to Washington State where Bob had a short-lived job as an Edsel salesman, then worked at the Olympia Reserve Fleet until its closure in 1972. He loved the Navy life, especially the travel, even though he often suffered “mal de mer”, but was quite content to spend the last part of his life ashore on his 10 acres in the country. Bob was an amateur inventor who enjoyed fixing things and working in his yard. He liked to dream up and make toys for his children, and created two parade float-size Navy ships, a functional monorail system, and a machine for the Shytepoke Flats International Mud Race that won him the Rube Goldberg Award. His love of travel took him to Europe, Asia, and around the world in 1986. He was a founding member of St. Christophers Episcopal Church, active until the past few years, and he was a member of Friendship Force of Olympia from its inception. Bob is survived by his wife of 70 years, Clarice Annebelle (Watson) Wright; daughters, Diana Lee (Burt) Meyer, June Elizabeth (Stuart) Simpson, and Jean Ellen (Sandy Howard) Wright, all of Olympia; sons Robert Watson (Julie) Wright, Olympia, and John Alan Eric Wright, Lake Forest Park WA; and grandchildren, Ian Stewart Wright, Kelsey Jean Simpson, and Robert John Simpson; and his sister, Margaret June Moffett of Twin Falls ID. Preceeding him in death were a brother Edward Eugene Wright and a sister Mildred Jean Wright. Bob requested a home funeral with no formal service, but to lie, briefly, in state for his friends to visit at his home west of Olympia. The family will hold an open house on Sunday, September 19, 2010 from 12 - 2 pm at the Wright home on 41st Ave. off of Steamboat Island Road.