Martha Mills Wright

Martha Mills Wright passed in the early hours of May 3, 2025. Her husband William Andrew (Bill) Wright Jr, the father of her four children, preceded her in death on October 22, 2011. She is survived by three of her four sons, William Andrew Wright III (wife: Judith Clardy Wright), Timothy Clark Wright, and Christopher Todd Wright (wife: Okran “Jade” Park Wright).

Her son Gary Mills Wright (pictured with Martha above) preceded her the month before on April 3, 2025. Gary and his wife Vicki Simmons Wright blessed Martha with grandchildren Michelle Franklin, David Wright, Rachel Sparks, Tristan Wright and 12 great grandchildren. Martha's youngest son Christopher and his wife Okran added their son Mason to the circle of grandchildren.

Martha was born on January 26, 1926 among the farms of central Arkansas. She was the second eldest of her 12 brothers and sisters. She is survived by her sisters Diana French, Naomi Smith Mansfield, Wilma Shoppach, MaryAnn Smith, and her brother Jackie Mills.

Her parents, Arvin and Eunice Mills, established their home with enough land to support livestock and an extensive garden. Growing up during the Depression Martha spent countless hours in the garden pulling 'snaps', collecting ears of corn, and helping to keep the garden clear of weeds as her father plowed the land with the help of mule named Jack.

Like many Depression era homes deep in rural Arkansas, Martha's childhood home grew in fits and starts as the family grew. Her father was a railroad worker and as a child she and her siblings followed him as he traveled for work. Together, and like other railroad families, they lived in modified boxcars as the fathers toiled on the rails. Back home and for decades to come Martha could be found in the kitchen with her mother and sisters canning vegetables or grinding out fresh sausage while the aroma of frying okra drifted through the house.

After graduating from high school—which was across the street from her home-—Martha's first job was at a photography studio. She went on to business school and soon landed a secretary job at a nearby Reynolds Metals operation.

As the world was returning to normal after WW2, she met Bill Wright on a blind date. Bill was a returning soldier studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas and letters he wrote Martha from college can still be found at her bedside lamp. They married on February 11, 1950 and their first son, Andy, arrived before the year ended.

As a mom Martha became the quintessential Cub Scout den mother. If you ever saw Martha jump up and down in excitement, you could wager she was watching her precious Arkansas Razorbacks or in the stands as the Lakeside Rams threw her sons Gary and Andy into the fray of an Arkansas religion: football.

Martha's grace, charm, and intelligence were assets as Bill rose through the ranks at Reynolds Metals. When Bill was named Chief Engineer at Reynolds, the family moved from Hot Springs, Arkansas to the corporate headquarters in Richmond in January 1970 amid 16” of fresh snow.

On May 17, 2025 between 11AM and 12PM Martha's family will be greeting friends in the Fellowship Hall at Bon Air Christian Church at 2071 Buford Road in Richmond, VA. There will be an open casket service immediately afterwards in the sanctuary. Entombment at the mausoleum at Dale Memorial Garden will be limited to family.