William Lloyd Wright

Mr. Wright was born in Canton and graduated from Lufkin High School. He worked for the Lufkin Daily News during high school and until 1954, the Galveston Daily News from 1954 until 1962 and the Houston Chronicle from 1962 until 1973. He then went to work for Shell Oil until his retirement in 1996. He loved his family. His heart was his cars. He enjoyed entering his cars in shows and totally restoring vehicles. His cars were once in a movie. He was a member of the National Street Rod Association. He served with the Naval Reserves. Mr. Wright was a member of Denman Avenue Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Donna Wright; daughter, Laurie Mellen; son, Rick Wright; stepson, James Yarsley; stepdaughters, Lois Currier and Dorothy Wellman; grandchildren, Jared Mellen, Brent Mellen, Heather Wright, Brittany Wright, Jacob Wright, Caitlyn Wright, Joseph Talbot and Joshua Talbot; 11 great-grandchildren; brothers, Charles Wright, Derrell Wright and W. D. Wright; sister, Faye Wilcox; and a number of nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Wright was preceded in death by his first wife, Martha Wright in September 1996; second wife, Hazel Annette Wright in October 2008; and sister, Jeanie Parrott.

Pallbearers will be Jared Mellen, Brent Mellen, Joseph Talbot, Joshua Talbot, Roger Parrott, Bill Wright, Jacob Wright and Don Wright.

Services for Mr. Wright will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 4, 2012 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Charles Roberts and Reverend Melvin Sharry officiating. Graveside services will follow at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday in the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Houston.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday evening at Gipson Funeral Home.

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com

Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home