Willard Burns Wright

October 6, 1919 - May 23, 2021

Willard Burns after graduation from High School in Attica, Kansas spent some time playing, singing and writing music for several dance bands of the time. Served 6 years in the U. S. Navy Amphibious Forces in the Pacific Ocean, attaining the rating of Chief Motor Machinist Mate. After World War 2 was over, he married and attended Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas where he received a Bachelor of Music Degree. He taught music in the public schools in Garden City, Kansas; owned a sporting goods business in Colby, Kansas. After selling the sporting goods business in Colby, Kansas in 1959, he moved his family to Sunnyvale, Calif. where he worked for Lockheed Missiles and Space Company. Starting as a timekeeper he held various other jobs in cost accounting in the Record Retention Center. In 1967 he transferred into the Computer Operations Dept. where he advanced to be a supervisor working on special cold war top-secret projects like the recently declassified in 2011 HEXAGON KH-9 program operated by the Central Intelligence Directorate of Science & Technology.

He and his wife moved to Redding, Calif. in 1985 after Willard retired in 1984 from Lockheed. They bought a motorhome and traveled in the summertime. Willard’s beloved wife of 74 ½ years Dorothy preceded him by 7 weeks.

He leaves behind his loving family: Son Bill (Carol) Wright, Daughter Connie Norman

Grandchildren: Jason (Janelle) Wright, Jonathan (Maude) Wright, Bill (Deanna) Norman, Heather (Todd) Pastorini

Great Grandchildren: Breanna, Adrien, Hayden, Shelby, Billy, and Mateo

In lieu of flowers, donations in Scotty’s honor may be made to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation: macular.org