Eddie Wright

Eddie Wright, often known as “Joseph, Eddie Joe, or Little Joe”, went Home to be with the Lord on October 22, 2023. He was born April 23, 1943, in Sandusky, Alabama, to Fred Wright Sr. and Eddie Mae Brooks. He moved to Ravenna, Ohio, in 1961 with his mother and siblings after he graduated from Kimbal High School in West Virginia.

Already enrolled in the US Army Reserves on October 15, 1961, before leaving West Virginia, he then registered for active duty in the United States Army where he trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky and also in Hemphill, McDowell County in West Virginia, and finally in Fort Hood, Texas. He was later deployed to the Panama Canal Zone in 1962 where he served for 4 years during the Panama Canal Crisis during the Vietnam War Era.

Upon completion of duty there, he was later honorably discharged completing his active duty deployment in 1966 while still committed to remaining reserve time until December 9, 1968. When his active duty was complete, he reconnected with his Geraldine G. Luttrell, and they were married April 23, 1966.

The couple later had three children, Eddie Jr., Savetta, and Denova Wright, and was later gifted two more children, Frederick and Willie, due to the death of Geraldine’s mother, Lilly Luttrell, of whom the two children were then currently officially in the care of from birth (Frederick at 3 days old, and Willie at 2 months old). Both remained under the care of Eddie and Geraldine Wright with assisted kindness from a foster grandmother, Constance and Lucius Jones, now deceased.

During the early years following Eddie’s military enlistment, he was employed by the Ward Riddle Company in Ravenna, Polson Rubber Company in Garrettsville, Ohio, and the Parks and Recreation Department of Kent, Ohio. He was also a 31 year retiree of the General Electric Company in Ravenna, Ohio.

As a child growing up, he attended his family church in West Virginia which included regular services several times a week. Upon adulthood, he faithfully committed to one year of the Muslim Islamic Services with Geraldine. He later assisted his wife in her search for God truths other than through various religions, by always staying open to hear what she shared and finding programs he felt she would not want to miss, especially the singers of Gospel music. He was faithful in supporting his wife in her educational studies and spiritual studies. He was faithful in supporting his children in their education, curricular activities, and job careers. His word to each of them after graduating from high school was: Get more education of technical training or college, get a job, or go to the military. This he taught them were their options of becoming an adult: to be the best they could be, and never giving up on their goals.

His favorite pastime was fishing and taking his children to different fishing places. Due to his work schedule which was mostly afternoon shift, he was always trying to find the time to have special times with them. He enjoyed taking them on bike trails, various sports games, the zoo, Sea World, and most of all, he enjoyed his GE family picnics with them. He never said much, but he relished the joy in seeing his children play their different sports and playing their musical instruments, at different performances and school event performances. He was an avid fan of the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians (now the Guardians), and the Cavaliers.

Eddie leaves to cherish his loving memories: his wife of 57 years, Geraldine G. Wright, his children: Eddie Wright Jr., Savetta M. Wright, Denova R. (Bridgette) Wright, his sister Daisy (Roy) Strong, brother-in-law Gerald A. (Majester) Luttrell, Madison (Pat) Davis, sisters-in-law: Louise Parnell, Paulette Luttrell, Anita Luttrell, and Pauline LaPaugh, who is a spiritual mother of the family, along with a host of loving extended family and friends.

Preceding him in death are his father Fred Wright Sr., mother Eddie Mae Wright, sisters Lillie Mae Wright and Edith Wright-Monroe, brothers James Wright and Fred Wright, Daniel Davis, and his sons Willie Holloway and Frederick J. Wright, and his spiritual mothers to the family, Margaret Davis and Rasheedah Hasan.

Friends and family will be received Saturday, October 28, 2023, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM with funeral services officiated by Pastor Pauline LaPaugh at 12:00 PM at the Wood-Kortright-Borkoski Funeral Home, 703 E. Main St., Ravenna. Interment will follow with full military honors at Maple Grove Cemetery.

Condolences and fond memories may be shared at www.wood-kortright-borkoski.com