James David Wright, 75, of Middletown, Ohio passed away on Christmas morning to be with our Lord, December 25th, 2020 at Mount Pleasant Nursing Home in Monroe, Ohio, where he has resided for the last three years.
Jim was born on July 21st, 1945 in Lafollette, Tennessee. He was the firstborn of James Willie Wright and Flora Dean Arnett. He grew up in Lafollette and always referred to it as home. After high school, he enlisted in the Navy. He served from 1966 to 1971. While he was in the Navy, he was stationed on the aircraft carrier, the USS Intrepid as SK3 (storekeeper) during the Vietnam War. He loved his time in the Navy and spoke of it often. The Intrepid is now on display as a museum in New York City.
Jim was employed in numerous positions during his work career ranging from machine operator to upper management in the industrial dry cleaning industry. His true love was in writing. He would entertain many with his humorous stories, some of them published.
Jim was preceded by his parents, Bill and Flo Wright; a very special grandpa, Roscoe Arnett; several aunts and uncles; a loving sister-in-law, Betty Wright; and a precious nephew, William Bradford Wright Jr.
He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Kathy Joan Snider Wright of Middletown, Ohio; a son, James Michael Wright of Gahanna, Ohio; five daughters, Georgia Elizabeth Miller of Waverly, Ohio; Amy (Philip) Anderson of Sarasota, Florida; Julie Anne Sparks of Huber Heights, Ohio; Kathryn "Katy" Wright of Middletown, Ohio; Elizabeth "Lizzy" Wright of Dayton, Ohio; seven grandchildren, Ryan, Jennifer, Jordan, Emma, Sarah, Bailey, & Annabelle; a brother, the Reverend William Bradford Wright Sr., of Milton, Florida, pastor of the Bibleway Baptist Church, who will be officiating; two sisters, Sue (Rick) Ball of Port Clinton, Ohio and Nancy (Bob) Bernotaitis of Waynesville, Ohio; two very caring brothers-in-law, Steve and Tim Snider; many nieces and nephews, cousins, and dear friends.
The family would like to thank everyone at Mount Pleasant that gave Jim the best of care and comfort in his final days.
Private family services will be held.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Jim's memory to Paralyzed Veterans of America @ PVA.org
EULOGY FOR JAMES WRIGHT
Written by Kathy, Jim’s wife
I met Jim in 1977 when we were both employed by Interstate Uniforms. I was 22 and he was 32. It seems like a lifetime ago. He worked in maintenance, and I in production. I couldn’t stand him. I thought he was arrogant, a real “know it all”. As our careers progressed, he became plant manager and I, production manager. Our interaction was constant, my loathing of him increased. We would actually have loud disagreements in the production office, which was located on the production floor, and it had a huge window facing production that would shake when our volume got too loud. It’s a wonder it didn’t break. There was hardly ever a truce between us. After a couple of years of this fiery relationship, he asked me to lunch so we could possibly “bury the hatchets” in some place besides each other. We talked through a lot of issues and for the first time I saw his humorous, almost human side. Things got much better, and my opinion of him slowly started to change. Evidently, his feelings towards me did the same. In 1980, he asked me out, and by 1981 we were married. There were at times, still fiery disagreements, but I truly loved this man. A love that after 39 years has not ended.
I was not a part of his younger years, or his navy years, but through his stories and memories I became a part. And there were many. From Republican Hill with his Grandpa Roscoe and grandmas’ to being on board the USS Intrepid and crossing the equator, and visiting faraway countries. Jim had a way of making it sound wonderful, and so real.
He became my rock, and biggest supporter. I learned a lot from him. He used to say that he didn’t know anyone who “could float drywall mud as well as I”, looking back, I think it was his way of getting out of doing it. He also became the “Dad” to Elizabeth and Julie, not because he had too, since their dad was AWOL, but because he loved them and wanted too. He also loved Amy and Mike, and was heartbroken when Penny made the decision to relocate to Florida and take the kids with her. He looked forward to summers when they would “come home” and stay with us. There were fishing trips, ballet recitals, Disney vacations, whale watching in Province town, and many other wonderful memories made with this dad, who truly loved all 4 of them, even through the later hard years. His love never wavered. As his dementia increased over the years, he still asked about them often, and I would tell him that each one of them was doing well and busy with their own lives. He seemed to understand.
And then there was the farm. To Jim, it was as close to home in LaFollette as he could have been. These were our best years. Our happiest years. We both fitted right in with the country folk of Bainbridge. We made good friends and life was good. Somewhere along the way we decided to become foster parents, a need that was dire in Ross County.
Over the years, we have shared our homes with over 90 children, and he was dad to many….and still to some that are now adults and have kept in contact. Sometimes, it was hard, and some of the children could be difficult, but we plowed on. He found joy in many of them and we were “home” to many, for years to come.
And then there was Katy. He adored her. I hardly got to hold her, he carried her everywhere. She truly became the apple of his eye. From watching Barney for hours with her, to dancing in the living room with her, to watching her become the beautiful young woman she is today. She was with him through it all. He passed at peace with her lying in the crook of his arm with both of them looking at each other. She was his last image on this earth.
And Lizzy, dear Lizzy. She came to us at 5, and stole another piece of his heart. She was his “Little Dora” He became her “daddy”. Much time was spent on his lap, while learning to read. He was so proud of her. He used to say, “That she will grow up to discover something, just like Dora….she’s so smart.” Lizzy hasn’t seen her dad in a long time, but I hope she never feels bad about that, because he truly loved her, and though he missed her, he understood.
And for the rest of the family, Jim loved you all deeply. He might have not been the best at showing it, but he did. He lived a full life, a good life and we all will miss his laugh, his sarcasm, his storytelling but must of all his love.
Added by Steve Snider, Jim’s brother-in-law
Sometimes we dads all wonder if we could have done more or better. From what I know of Jim, he did what was most important. He listened and communicated with a Dads good advice.
SECOND EULOGY
Written and given by Steve Snider
Anyone that knows Kathy, my brother Tim, and I, knows that we are all micromanagers.
Over many years all three of us have given much of our time and care for many family, friends and relatives, but KATHY has been the biggest giver of all. But I have to say she is also the biggest micromanager. She is also the one that gets the most accomplished. Kathy has been there for a lot of people and I know many of you in this room know she has been there for you, as she has for me.
Kathy has consistently, without fail, been there for Jim over all the years. She has been at, or in contact with Mount Pleasant about Jim virtually every day for the past three years. She made sure Katy was with Jim until the end came Christmas morning last Friday, and her care for Jim continues now.
On Saturday morning, Kathy being Kathy, took charge and called me. “Jim has only one suit and tie that he was willing to wear and I need you to go with me to pick out a shirt.” My wife Pam heard our conversation and said afterwards, “I can’t see Jim in a suit” I said, “yeah, who’s going to tell Kathy?”
Any of you who know me and what I do for a living are used to seeing me in a suit and tie. You will understand shortly why I dressed down today.
There’s a story I should tell here, actually it is factual. In the 1980’s Jim and Kathy had just purchased a home here in Hunter on Jeffrey Drive and also a new Mercury Grand Marquis. Jim had a new job where he was required to wear a suit and tie. He and Kathy worked fairly close and met for lunch one day. Jim was missing his tie and Kathy asked where was it and Jim said “I TOOK IT OFF” Kathy said “why did you take it off?” and Jim said, “I QUIT and I’m never wearing a suit and tie again”, I am going to skip the details here about the rest of their discussion!
Back to our shopping for Jim’s clothes……
Because of the virus, I met Kathy Sunday in Kohl’s parking lot. She got out the one suit that Jim was willing to wear, and we discovered that something had eaten holes in it. She said it was odd because none of the surrounding clothes in the closet were damaged….just the suit! The tie also had a small stain on it. I didn’t suggest anything alternative to Kathy at that point and proceeded to hunt for a new suit and accessories. Not finding what we wanted, he had to drive to another store. On the way there I took a deep breath and asked; “DID YOU CONSIDER THAT JIM MIGHT NOT WANT TO BE DRESSED IN A SUIT?” I said maybe the damaged suit and the stained tie were a sign. She agreed, so Jim is dressed as he would have preferred.
If any of you spent much time with Jim you know about his dry humor. He had a talent for writing with that humor about friends, relatives, politicians and shoppers he saw at Wal-Mart. Many of his short stories, those that were acceptable, were published in local newspapers.
I remember reading one of his stories about a cat that took its last ride in the clothes dryer. He might have said its name was “FLUFFY”.
I suspect the next time I see Jim he will read me the story he wrote and titled: “When Steve and I Wore the Same Identical Shirt To My Funeral.”
God bless Jim….
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