University of Houston Professor of Law Emeritus, passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 28, 2012. James was born in Houston, Texas on February 6, 1928, to James Houston and Evelyn Haby Wright. He was proud to be a member of the 1945 graduating class of Lamar High School. He served in the United States Army at the end of World War II, and graduated from the University of Houston. He attended law school at night at the University of Houston while working full time. He obtained an LL.M. degree from the University of Michigan with a specialization in tax. Professor Wright practiced law briefly and spent his legal career teaching tax law at the University of Houston for 26 years.
James was a long-time member of Parkway Fellowship, a ministry of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. He served on local, district, and national boards for that denomination. He and Gloria sponsored Vietnamese and Laotian refugees in the 1970’s and he continued to befriend and advise these dear friends until the end of his days. James leaves a legacy of kindness and generosity, witnessed by all who knew him.
He was predeceased by his first wife Gloria, and by his grandson Max Silver. He is survived by his second wife Janice, son Jim and Shirley Wright and their children Stephanie and Ryan Seckinger (and their children Elizabeth, Ruth, and James), Leigh and Vernon Bowen (and their children Katheryn and Annabelle), and Bonnie Wright, son John and Carol Wright and their children Zachary James and Aaron, son Tom and Susan Wright and their children Charles, Rikki (and their son Pearson James Wright), Andrew and Lisa Wright, and Katharine Wright, and daughter Mary and Randy Stark and their son Benjamin James Silver. He is also survived by Janice's son Rob and Lisa Heffer and their children Rachael and Ashton Reynolds (and their daughter Ellasyn), and Josh and Karen Heffer, daughter Tami and David Gilmore and their children Matthew, Megan, and Michael, son Timothy and Meg Heffer and their children Cody and Paige, and son Jonathan and Lori Heffer and their children Cole and Tyler. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins. James and Janice spent many hours interceding daily with their heavenly father on behalf of each and every one of their family members.
The family would like to thank the fine medical staff at Methodist Hospital Sugar Land and Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospice. James was attended by several very skilled and caring physicians, including Asia Lo, S. Mohammed, Amer A. Khan, and especially John E. Rea III, whom James was proud to call his doctor and his friend.
Pallbearers will be Jim, John, and Tom Wright, Randy Stark, Rob, Tim, and Jonathan Heffer, and David Gilmore. Honorary pallbearers: Mike Gates, Joe Wilson, Glen Beeler, Dave Hill, Brian Hill, Jim Fry, Bob Weatherall, Mike Cenatiempo, Dean Gerald Treece and William Robinson.
Visitation is at Forest Park Funeral Home, 12800 Westheimer Rd., Houston, Texas 77077 on Friday March 30, 5-8 pm. Funeral Service at Parkway Fellowship, 13413 Briar Forest Drive Houston, TX 77077, Saturday March 31, 10 a.m. Internment at Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr., Houston, TX 77038, Monday April 2, 9:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the missions fund at Parkway Fellowship. James believed, in the words of the founder of the C&MA, “Jesus only is our message – Savior Sanctifier, Healer, Glorious Lord and Coming King.”
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18