MSgt William Joseph Wright Sr.

2011 April 01

BOSSIER CITY, LA – William Joseph Wright, Sr. 82 of Bossier City, Louisiana passed away on Friday, April 1, 2011 after a blessedly short battle with cancer. A celebration of his life will be held on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at Hill Crest Memorial Chapel at 2:00 PM with internment to follow in Hill Crest Memorial Park. Visitation will be held Monday, April 4, 2011 from 5:00 until 7:00 at Hill Crest Chapel.

Our Dad, Bill, was born January 29, 1929, in Arlington, Massachusetts to Esther Johansen and Leslie John Wright. He lived in New Hampshire until he joined the newly established United States Air Force in 1947. After training at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, he worked in communications as a cryptographer. While stationed at the Pentagon in 1948 he met the love of his life, Betty Schwarm, who worked for the FBI. His service to his country, including the Korean War, separated them and they did not reconnect until 1958. They married August 16 at Scott AFB, Illinois, and became a military family. In these critical years of the Cold War, Dad’s invaluable training led them to move to Japan, the Philippines, Michigan, Mississippi, the Azores, and Oklahoma. The family finally settled at Barksdale Air Force Base. He retired in 1973 as a Master Sergeant. For his service he received the Air Force Commendation Medal, Korean Service Medal, and Vietnam Service Medal.

He always said he never got past the seventh grade, but he did receive his High School Equivalency diploma in 1952. After his retirement, Dad attended Shreveport-Bossier Vocational-Technical Center and received his diploma in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. This was his second career as he worked for First Union Management as Chief Building Engineer at the Beck Building in downtown Shreveport from 1981 – 2000. Daddy beat all his children to a college degree in 1983 when he graduated from Bossier Parish Community College with an Associate Degree in Business Administration. He was very proud to be a lifetime member of the Air Force Sergeants Association. In his second career field he was a member of the Ark-La-Tex Chapter of the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society, serving as President from 1988-1990 and Secretary/Treasurer from 1991-1992.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Schwarm Wright of Bossier City, La.; five children: Nancy Jean Wright, Mary Wright Vance and husband Michael, Beth Wright Martin and husband Jerry, William Joseph Wright, Jr. and wife Rita, all of Bossier City, La., and son David L. Wright and husband Tom Morgan of Amite, La. He is also survived by his Grandchildren (who affectionately called him “Grumpaw”): Amanda, Ben, and Mikaela Vance, Matthew Hesson and wife Dana, Brandon Hesson and wife Kate, Caitlin Golder, Kristina Wright Combs, Joshua William Wright and wife Amy, Sarah Wright, Alyshia Wright, and Caleb Wright; and Great Grandchildren Collin and Cameron Hesson, Caroline and Dillon Combs, Zakkery Dansby, and new baby Elias, born March 23. Daddy loved his large family and acknowledged the children of his son-in-law and daughter-in-law as his own; Joseph Dansby and wife Lorena, Jeremiah Dansby, Joni Martin, and Jeremy Martin, wife Christy and their children Allie and Aidan.

Pallbearers will be military honor guard. Honorary Pallbearers are sons and grandsons.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in his name to be given to the charity of your choice.

Our Dad never met a stranger. He was truly one of a kind! He teased us all unmercifully, but we loved him dearly. He was a fighter and beat two types of cancer while in his 70’s. During this recent illness he knew he was too tired to go on. On March 31, the day before he died, he told one of his daughters, “Tomorrow’s my day,“ knowing it was April Fool’s Day, “God has a sense of humor.”

You may share your memories with the family by visiting www.hillcrestmemorialfh.com.

Day is done, gone the sun, from the lakes, from the hills, from the sky. All is well, safely rest.

God is nigh. Fading light dims the sight, and a star gems the sky, gleaming bright from afar, drawing near falls the night.