My husband Tom and I met Rayburn at Southern Junction. He and Mary taught us how to country dance. I will always remember his sweet attitude and friendliness. Rayburn was a very special person and a member of the greatest generation of all time. I will keep Rayburn and Mary in my prayers. Sincerely, Evie and Tom Anderson

I am sorry to hear of Rayburn's passing. He always added so much to our Texas vacations.  Rayburn and the family will be in my thoughts and prayers

 I met Rayburn in 1966 when I began my 23 yrs at Varo Special Products Division.
Rayburn and I became good friends over the years and enjoyed many fun filled times.
A very kind,supportive and intelligent man.
He will surely be missed but never forgotten.

I am so sorry for the loss, praying for JoN and family.

Uncle Rayburn was an absolutely amazing gentleman. I am deeply saddened by the loss of him. He and Aunt Mary absolutely loved to teach dancing classes, and as my father says they skirted the dance floor like they were on clouds. He also said they skiied just like they danced, almost like they weren't even touching the ground. I am devastated that I could not make the funeral b/c of all the rain Mother Nature has dumped on all of us. Everyone who met Uncle Rayburn was blessed, as he was the type that would give you the shirt off his back! He will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him. I  have always had so much respect and love for Aunt Mary and Uncle Rayburn. I know he has received his halo and wings, and is now teaching everyone in heaven how to dance. May his wonderful life be celebrated today, and his memory be kept alive through his sons Richard and Jon, and all his wonder grandchildren!

Now all of us have to live without his wisdom, patience and kindness. Having him as a father was the greatest gift bestowed on me beside my mother. He did so many kind things and never told anyone. He epitomized the Golden Rule and wisdom of Solomon. I never met a better man. I am so proud of him and will always miss him. I love you dad.

What a great uncle.  I always had such respect for Rayburn.  He did so many things so well.  Sending prayers to Mary, Richard and Jon and families.  I miss you.  I love you.

Grandad was an amazing man. He taught me how to read, encouraged me to be an artist and inspired me to find the woman I love. He was the strongest and smartest man I knew growing up. I miss you so much right now.

Praying for you and your family. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

I was interviewed by Rayburn, Urbie Heitmeyer and Dick Massey on 9/28/1966.  After much discussion among the 3 I was hired.  I found Rayburn to be very interested in my background, you see I am a Cajun, and at that time I don't think many people had met a Cajun.  Over the years Rayburn helped me with my career and always wanted me to be the best I could be.  I can honestly say my years at VARO were the most interesting and fun filled years in my 45 year career in Night Vision and Rayburn played a large role in making those years memorable.  Rest in peace my friend, may you dance on forever.  Your Cajun friend,

Willard and I have great appreciation and respect for Rayburn and for Mary as persons who taught us to dance at Southern Junction and for the kind, respectful, and joyful people they are. We will miss Rsyburn and will pray for the Lord to bless and comfort Mary and family in these months to come.

 I have many great memories of Rayburn at Lake Party's and also Dancing with the group at the Winter Garden. Rayburn was a man of many talents. He and my late husband Frank were very close friends and always had a project to work on. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
He will be remembered forever.

I worked with Mr. Wright , he was a very nice guy ! I used to dance and we talked about dancing .I know he will missed ! I pray for family and friends !   Loretta Taylor .

Thinking back about dad, he chose to parent mostly by example, not lectures.
He never talked bad about anyone, and always treated everyone the way he wanted to be treated, unless he was treated poorly, and he would forgive them. He was always willing to lend a helping hand even to the point of being used. He always treated mom with respect and they dated their whole lives with dance, even though he had to keep it a secret from his parents for many years; dad was a Baptist preacher's son! Often dad's idea of fun was working or fixing something, it must have been the engineer in him.
He would have been an arborist in another life and loved planting trees and developing his yard.
He paved his way through life, starting as a poor kid in Cooper, his dirt floor bedroom/garage was shared with his brothers and cousins, and he even picked cotton as a kid. Eventually his dad landed a job at the Ford Plant in Dallas, and they moved to Pleasant Grove where he attended Pleasant Grove High School. After high school he discovered roller skating and even played roller hockey with the Little Texans. He soon met Mary Curtsinger and a life long romance/marriage began.
He joined the Air Force and used the GI Bill, and mom worked, while he attended and graduated from SMU with a EE degree. Life improved and we moved from St Augestine Drive to Mesquite where met a neighbor with a 1957 Jaguar, and he purchased his own 1952 Jaguar and taught me how to work on them, and my son Charlie and I work on them to this day. Rayburn had a short attempt to run for Mesquite city council, and later propelled his 2nd son Jon into politics and Jon became the president of the Young Republicans and even met Richard Nixon.
Mom and dad loved dancing and started Club 52, and later began teaching Ballroom dancing at the Wintergarden, and country and western at Nowhere but Texas and Southern Junction. In the mean time they discovered skiing in Colorado and joined family and friends there for a frolic in the snow.
 
Out in public he always tried to get people to laugh or smile. He loved being light hearted, and being a teacher. Anyone that was willing to learn from him found a great mentor, if not he worked quietly by himself.
He took it upon himself to help his grand children to the best of his abilities, and he would accept grandkids and new family anyway he could. One of the last things he did was pat my daughter's, Mary Rose's expecting belly, with his hand, and smile with pride at his forth coming grand daughter, ....Thanx Dad! Your Heart is a Big as the Sky!

I am a man of many trades thanks to my grandfather and father.i am know as a MacGyver because you showed me how to fix just about anything. Alot of our time was spent with you teaching me lessons beyond work to manners as well "elbows" was a commen phrase at the dinner table . i got him with elbows on the table at christmas he shrugged and left them there. It was time for him to take a break the hardest working man i have ever known. I was blessed to have you as one of my mentors in life. All the care you gave people always visting you friends and family in there assisted living homes . you made sure they were not forgotten. Now we carry on letting people feel the love you shared thats how you will never be forgotten

I met Rayburn the first time when his son Richard brought me home for Thanksgiving in 2006. I fell in love with Rayburn and Mary immediately. I lost my parents many years ago. They welcomed me with open arms and I feel like I've been blessed every day by their love and acceptance of not only me, but my children and grandchildren as well. Rayburn kept me entertained with his jokes and stories over the years, but the thing I remember most is when he sincerely thanked me for making his son so happy.  I will remember him with sweet fondness and will miss him terribly. I couldn't have had a better surrogate father than Rayburn.

Over the last few months I feel like I learned so much more about my wonderful grandfather than I ever really understood as a child growing up around him and I am honored to share some of the wonderful attributes from his life with everyone on Wednesday and Thursday. I love you Granddad! 
Mary Rose Kent

I worked out at Rayburn's health club and he always had an interesting and funny story to tell. He and Mary had a fun and interesting life together.

OBITUARY

Rayburn Glenwood Wright

June 10, 1931 – May 8, 2015

Calvary Hill Funeral Home & Cemetery

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Rayburn Glenwood Wright

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