Thurman Keith Wright

Keith Wright, 60 years old, passed from this life and entered into his Heavenly home on Tuesday, December, 2, 2014 at his residence in Cary, North Carolina. During his year-long battle with cancer, Keith’s unwavering faith in God and the love and prayers of his family and friends sustained him through this often difficult journey.

Keith was born on March 14, 1954, in Greenville, Kentucky to Thurman and Vivian Wright and became the beloved little brother to his sisters Elaine and Charlotte. Keith graduated from Muhlenberg Central High School in 1972 as the class valedictorian and went on to Western Kentucky University where he received his B.S. in 1976 with dual degrees in math and computer science. He then attained his M.S. degree in computer science at Purdue University and began his career with IBM in Rochester, Minnesota. He retired from IBM in August of this year after 35 years.

Growing up, Keith began playing the piano in his home church at the age of 10 and continued his God-given talent of playing music all throughout his life. He played clarinet, oboe, and sax for the high school and college band programs and as a young man he worked as a pianist and organist, and played for numerous weddings and funerals. But his greatest joy was to play keyboard in the worship bands at the churches he was part of during his adult life of Christian service.

On November 29, 1974, Keith married his childhood sweetheart and best friend Carolyn Sue Boggess. Married for 40 years, Keith and Sue raised four wonderful sons, passing on Keith’s love of music, his joy in competition through cards and games, and the love of travel that Keith and Sue both enjoyed even up to the last months of his life.

In addition to his wife Sue, Keith is survived by his four sons and daughters-in-law, Bradley (Jessica) of Apex, North Carolina; Nolan (Megan) of San Antonio, Texas; Evan (Lauren) of San Antonio, Texas; and Spencer (Bela) of Redwood City, California; six grandchildren, Caitlin, Camryn, Cassidy, and Calista of Apex, North Carolina and Elliott and Evelyn of San Antonio, Texas; his father Thurman Wright of Greenville, Kentucky; sisters Elaine Lipe (Joe) of Greenville, Kentucky, and Charlotte Duncan of Madisonville, Kentucky; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother Vivian Wright.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at newhope Church in Durham, North Carolina on Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 7pm and a final service will be held at Duvall’s Chapel General Baptist Church in Greenville, Kentucky on Saturday, December 6, 2014 at 11:00 am. Visitation will be held at Tucker’s Funeral Home in Central City, Kentucky on Friday, December 5, 2014 from 5 to 8pm, and prior to the services at the church on Saturday.