Earl W. Wright, Jr., 72, of Clovis CA left this Earth to meet his Heavenly Father, on November 10, 2018 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Born December 29, 1945 in New Philadelphia, OH to Earl “Bill” and Hazel Wright. The family of 3 moved to Kingsburg CA when Earl was just 6 weeks old. After graduating from Kingsburg High in 1963 Earl joined the US Army with his buddy Joe Oltman. Earl was barely 18 years old when he did his first combat tour in Vietnam as a member of MACV (Military Assistance Command Vietnam) 1964-65. He completed a second tour with MACV in 1968-69. Earl earned a Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal and enough “I was there” ribbons to complete 3 rows of awards on the chest of his dress uniform. Between Vietnam tours Earl met and married the love of his life, Vicki DeRochey. During the early years of marriage we lived in France and then Germany, courtesy of Uncle Sam.
In the summer of 1969 Earl left the service with honors and walked onto the Fresno City College campus earning his AA degree then transferring to FSU. While attending FSU he wrote sports communications. After graduating in 1973 he worked at 5 daily newspapers in 5 different California cities before returning to Fresno in 1986 to be the founding editor of the Neighbors sections of The Fresno Bee. In 1992 McClatchy, owner of The Fresno Bee, hired Earl to become the Publisher/Editor of the Clovis Independent newspaper. Earl and Vicki moved to Clovis and have made it their permanent home.
Earl was Past President of the Clovis Rotary Club and also the Sierra Division of the American Heart Association and in 1997 was named Clovis Citizen of the Year.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Vicki, his God children Spencer Zuniga and Michelle Zuniga Pinedo, his brother Larry Wright, his sister Kathryn Ruiz and numerous nieces and nephews who he loved dearly.
Earl is preceded in death by his parents Earl and Hazel Wright and his brother Alan Wright.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building on Saturday, January 12, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers please donate to the Wounded Warriors Project at PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.boicefuneralhome.com for the Wright family.
