Noel A Wright

He was born August 24, 1917 near Schenectady, New York, of Scotch ancestry. He was fond of his childhood years on the Mohawk River ice skating, swimming, and canoeing. At age twelve he was nationally honored as a Boy Scout by Daniel Beard for bravely saving a young girl from drowning in the frozen river. In 1936 he enrolled at Virginia Tech where he was on the football and wrestling teams. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1940 with a degree in mechanical engineering and was commissioned as 2nd LT in the Army Air Corps. His military service included seven campaigns in the Pacific during WWII as a navigation officer. He was twice decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross and twice with the Air Medal. He was shot down in a Martin B-26 Bomber near Rabaul during the Coral Sea Battles and rescued by a PBY Catalina flying boat. After the war he served several years at Wright-Patterson AFB working on development and testing activities. He went on to focus his entire career on aviation and aerospace, moving his family to Tallahassee in 1963 to cover the Southeast as an aerospace representative. He joined the Florida Department of Transportation in 1970, retiring as the State airport inspector in 1982.

Noel Wright was a man of great honor, courage, and dignity. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 71 years, Virginia Wright of Tallahassee; daughter, Marjorie Wright of Tallahassee; son, Gilbert Wright of Fredericksburg VA; daughter, Leslie Wright of Tallahassee; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Friends and family are invited to visit from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, August 13, 2012 at Culley’s Meadowwood Funeral Home, 700 Timberlane Rd. Funeral service will be held 2:00 pm Tuesday, August 14, 2012 in Culley's MeadowWood Timberlane Road Chapel. Burial will follow in MeadowWood Memorial Park with military honors.

Arrangements are under the direction of Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home in Tallahassee,Florida.