Richard A. 'Dick' Wright
Richard A. “Dick” Wright of Valencia passed away Monday at Paramount Senior Living in Mars with his loving wife and daughter by his side after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.
He celebrated his 81st birthday last Saturday surrounded by family.
He was born May 18, 1932, in Mercer, to Emerson E. and Alice M. (Patton) Wright.
Richard was a 1950 graduate of the former Sandy Lake High School who was awarded the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award. He was active in chorus, band (clarinet), basketball, and baseball. During his high school years he and his friends built a camp near West Hickory, Pa. In 1954, he graduated from Grove City College with a degree in chemical engineering.
Richard married his wife, the former Janet Koehler, on Oct. 9, 1954, in Bradford, Pa.
He was first employed by Callery Chemical in Mars as a project engineer. During his time at Callery, he worked in Lawrence, Kan., for two years opening a new plant. In his first year in Kansas, he suffered life threatening injuries after a chemical explosion. After recovering, he continued to work and was transferred to Muskogee, Okla., to help open another new plant.
Richard and his family moved to Mars in 1963 when he accepted a senior project engineer position at Gulf Research Harmarville. In 1985, he retired from Gulf Research and co-founded Saxon Research Systems, Inc. with his two dear friends, Carl Beck and Dave McConahy, where he worked until retiring in 1997.
Richard was a humble, sincere, and forever faithful man who was loved by all. He was a hard working family man and was known as a “jack of all trades” by friends and family. Among his proudest accomplishments was the camp he built in Marshburg, Pa., where he spent many weekends with friends and family. In his off-time he was an amateur gunsmith who made his own muzzleloader and enjoyed hunting as well as taking road trips across the United States.
He was a past member of the Mars Kiwanis and the Mars United Methodist Church. He sang in church choirs and was a soloist in several weddings.
Richard is survived by his loving wife of 58 years Janet; his daughter, Jan (Mark) Koehler, all Valencia, Pa; his grandchildren, Justin Dalo of Butler and Janelle (Anthony) Gabbianelli of Pittsburgh; his brother, Kenneth (Ida Mae) Wright of Stoneboro, Pa., a sister-in-law, June Pessia of Bradford, and several nephews and nieces.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Bruce R. Wright on Dec. 10, 2000; and a brother, Harold “Hap” Wright.
A special thank you to our hospice team, including Carol Ann, Amy, Tammy and the Paramount staff for their excellent care.
WRIGHT — Calling hours for Richard A. “Dick” Wright, who passed away Monday, May 20, 2013, will be from 1 to 2 p.m., Thursday followed by funeral service at 2 p.m., Thursday in the Scott Black Funeral Home, 99 Franklin St., Stoneboro, Pa., with the Rev. Wayne Pessia, Richard's nephew, of Coshocton, Ohio, officiating.Memorial donations may be made to Paramount Hospice, 3025 Washington Road, McMurray, PA 15317 and to the Alzheimer's Association, 100 W. Station Square Drive, Pittsburgh, Pa 15219Interment will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, Sandy Lake Township.
