Tom Wright passed into eternal life early Monday morning. Tom lived a long and fruitful life in East Texas, and he was a gracious and honorable man, a gentleman from sole to crown. Stephen F. Austin State University and Nacogdoches have lost a loving and giving man.
Thomas Wilson Wright was born in Rockbridge Baths, Virginia, on April 18, 1918. He moved with his family to Nacogdoches in 1930, when his father, M.S. Wright, founded Texas Farm Products Company.
Tom graduated from Nacogdoches High School in 1934, attended Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College, and spent a year at Draughan’s Business College, after which he joined his father and brothers at Texas Farm Products.
Tom was the war hero of the Wright clan. He joined the National Guard in 1940 and was called up for a year’s service in January of ’41. Pearl Harbor changed one year into five. Tom was a “ninety-day wonder” and received his lieutenant’s bars in 1942.
In 1942 and home on leave, Tom fell in love with the beautiful Peggy Wedgeworth. After a whirlwind love affair, Tom and Peggy married that September. They had a few months of married life, but in April of 1943, Tom was shipped overseas to the fighting in North Africa.
Tom engaged in some of the fiercest action in the war as the Allies crossed to Sicily and Anzio Beach, went up the road to Rome, and then on into the fighting in France and Germany. Tom was stationed in Austria on V-E Day. He spent the summer of 1945 in the occupation of Germany and finally came home in September of that year.
During World War II Tom Wright spent twenty-nine months overseas, with twenty-five of those months in the most active of the combat zones. He was discharged with rank of major.
Tom spent his working life with Texas Farm Products, working in sales at the bottom to managerial at the top. In 1983 he became Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. In 1988 Tom retired as CEO and President of Texas Farm Products but remained as Chairman of the Board until 2011. Tom also served as Chairman of The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), a national fertilizer organization.
Tom lived an exciting and active life. He was an avid golfer, duck hunter, fisherman, and skier. He and Peggy traveled the wide world over. Cruising the ocean’s waters was one of their favorite pursuits. He was the longest tenured member of the Nacogdoches Rotary Club and received the Paul Harris Fellow Award twice. He was also a tenured member of the Nacogdoches Pineywoods Country Club.
Tom was a devout Christian and served the Westminster Presbyterian Church as deacon, elder, and building-committee member. At the time of Tom’s death he was the longest tenured active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church.
For all his years of service to his business, his church, and Nacogdoches generally, his and Peggy’s most lasting gifts have been to Stephen F. Austin State University. They originally founded the prestigious Wedgeworth Lecture Series. That gift was enlarged to become the Wedgeworth-Wright Endowment for the Arts. The SFA music building was named the Tom and Peggy Wright Music Building. Tom also founded a golf scholarship on campus and was a loyal SFA sports fan.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Elizabeth; his brothers, Steele, Joe, and Dick.
Tom is survived by his wife, Peggy Wedgeworth Wright; his daughters, Peggy Wright Pollock and Kitty Wright Dippel and husband Skipper; his grandchildren and spouses, Meg and Dathan Voelter, Tee and Sunny Dippel, Beth and Tres Masser, Margaret and Bryant Fitts, Caroline and Jason Peters, and Laura Pollock.
Tom and Peggy have fourteen great-grandchildren and many beloved nieces and nephews. Tom was blessed by a large and loving family. Loved members of Tom’s extended family include Delores Mallory, Anna Gonzales, and Maria Venegas.
The Wright family thanks Keesha Curtis, Belinda Wallace, Ashton Whitaker, Charles Royal, and Kashsece Gregory for their care and concern. They thank Dr. Sergio Moreira and Dr. Richard Baker for their concern and close medical attention over these past few months.
Funeral services include a Lying-in-State at the Westminster Presbyterian Church (903 North Street) from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012.
A Graveside service will be held at 10:00 am Thursday, October 25, 2012, at Sunset Memorial Park (5127 North Street) across the street from Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors.
A Memorial service will follow at Westminster Presbyterian Church from 11:00 am until 12 noon on Thursday, October 25, 2012.
Pallbearers will be Tieman Dippel, Jr., Tieman Dippel, III,Dathan Voelter, Tres Masser, Bryant Fitts, Jason Peters, Ray Rinker, Raymond Rinker, Robert Rinkers, M.S. (Bud) Wright, III, Jim Kingham, George Clark, Mark Clark, Vyrne Shofner, David Shofner, A.L. Mangham, Travis Mast, John Mast, Richard Wright, Baker Patillo, Ab Abernethy, and John Wallace.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors. Condolences may be offered at www.casonmonk-metcalf.com.
