Irene H. Wright-Abraham

Irene H. Wright-Abraham, 87, of Middletown, Ohio, passed away Thursday, June 15, 2017.

Born Dec. 11,1929, in Kokomo, Indiana, she was the wife of the late Brig. Gen. James Abraham and the daughter of the late Bert Hodge and Esther Richardson.

An avid writer her whole life, Irene embarked on a successful journalism career in her mid-30s without the benefit of a college education. After several years as a reporter for The Middletown Journal, Irene spent the next 25 years with The Cincinnati Enquirer, where she became the newspaper’s first female bureau chief, covering Middletown and Butler County. In that role, she garnered many Ohio News Media Association awards and several awards from the American Heart Association for her medical reporting. She was also named to the Who’s Who of American Women and became president of both the Ohio State Women’s Newspaper Association and Ohio Professional Writers, an affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women. In addition, she was named an Ohio Buckeye Colonel and received commendations from the Ohio House of Representatives.

A woman of many talents, Irene developed a love of the arts at an early age. As a young woman, she loved to perform in community theater with her brothers, upon which she loved to reminisce. She later hosted a television show in Cincinnati and her own radio show at WPFB in Middletown. She authored several books, including The Tempering Seasons, a historical novel based on Middletown’s steel legacy, and a play that was produced in Cincinnati. She also loved to paint.

Above all, Irene loved her family and wanted nothing more than to spend time with them. She is survived by her beloved sons Michael (Sharon) Barr and Scott (Heather) Wright; daughters Deborah Barr and Pamela Wright; step-sons David and Thomas (Peggy) Wright, step-son Dan (Susan) Abraham; step-daughter Michele Abraham; sister Lynda Richardson (Steve) Gallagher; 10 grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband Jim, Irene is proceeded in death by husband Francis W. Wright; brothers Darrell and Edward Hodge; and step-son Timothy Wright.

Services will be held 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, 2017, at Breitenbach-Anderson Funeral Home in Middletown, with grandson Kyle Dobbins officiating. Burial will follow at Woodside Cemetery. Visitation is 11 a.m-1 p.m Tuesday, at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.