Born May 20, 1932 in Nashville to Abraham and Nancy Jane Mae (Keel) Wright, he married Mary Louise Smith in 1951. She died June 30, 2014 in Peoria Heights. He also was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Cynthia Rickard; one granddaughter, Shelby Wright; two brothers, Harold Wright and Ralph Wright and one sister, Lucille Shufflin.
Surviving are three sons, Bradley (Kathi) Wright-Hulett of Peoria, Kevin (Duperly) Wright of Las Gatos, California and Christopher (Lynne) Wright of Jacksonville; twelve grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; one sister, Ruth Laurie of Trenton and his son-in-law, Tom Rickard of Peoria.
He was a United States Army veteran of the Korean War.
Dick retired from Caterpillar, Inc. with 30 years of service in material control.
He was a longtime member of the Baha’i Faith and pioneered to the Navajo Reservation in Gallup, New Mexico. He had given numerous talks on Baha’i topics and had served as a delegate to the National Baha’i Convention.
An avid reader, Dick also enjoyed stamp collecting.
His graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, September 7, 2023 at Maple Ridge Cemetery in Mapleton. Members of the Baha’i Community will officiate. There will be no visitation. Arrangements have been entrusted to Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin.
Memorial contributions may be made to American Heart Association.
To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com
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