Teresa J. Wright - Woods

TERESA J. WRIGHT-WOODS, age 78, went to be with the Lord on July 4, 2022. Born in El Reno, Oklahoma on D-Day, June 6, 1944, she was the daughter of Dorothy M. Wright and Nelson R. Wright. She graduated Northwest Classen High School in 1962. She was preceded in death by her husband of 41 years, Maurice G. Woods. Together they lived in Oklahoma City and raised four children who survive her, Lance Woods, Brooke Woods-Waddell and her husband Todd, Maurice G. Woods, II and his wife Jennifer, and Tyler Woods and his wife Erin. She was most proud of her seven exceptional grandchildren Taylor Woods, Turner Waddell, Kyann Woods, Natalie Waddell, Carson Waddell, Kamryn Woods, and Leia Woods. She will be remembered for her independence, creativity, and love of family.

As a partner to her husband, they operated Wedgewood Amusement Park until 1969, where they brought joy to thousands of Oklahoma youth, and welcomed many famous performers to the stage including The Who, Herman’s Hermits, The Kingsmen, Johnny Rivers, Johnny Tillotsen, and Roger Miller. Teresa and her husband were active philanthropists fundraising for charities such as United Cerebral Palsy of Oklahoma City and the North Oklahoma City Rotary Club. Through their charity work Teresa and Maurice developed life-long friendships with many famous celebrities, spending considerable time in Palm Springs and Las Vegas.

As a child Teresa spent her summers in Redondo Beach, countless hours at the Sportsman’s Club pool, and barrel racing at the Nichols Hills Riding Academy. Teresa and her husband traveled extensively and later she taught her children her love of travel, spending many memorable summers with them in Ruidoso, Red River, Taos, and Santa Fe.

As an entrepreneur Teresa owned wholesale food distributorships throughout the state of Oklahoma and north Texas and held the first distributorship of the Daily Racing Form in Oklahoma City. She was an accomplished visual artist and an exceptional gardener, tending year-round to the plants in her greenhouse, and cultivating an appreciation of all things beautiful to her children and grandchildren.

Teresa’s greatest gift was being a mother. She was insistent on instilling the value of education as the foundations of lifelong learning. She loved spending time with her children at the pool and on the golf course, and later watching her grandchildren’s horse shows, performing arts programs, softball games, cheerleading competitions, academic competitions, and school performances. Ironically departing this life on Independence Day, she loved driving the Model A Ford, lovingly called, “Old Bess” in the Nichols Hills Fourth of July parade, watching fireworks, and especially enjoying sunsets. Teresa left us too soon and our lives will never be the same without her kindness and love. She will be forever loved, forever remembered, and forever missed.