Ralph Curtis Wright, Sr.

Ralph attended Austin public schools. After graduation from L.C. Anderson High School in 1957, he started attending Huston-Tillotson College. But after his mother passed away and his dad had a stroke, he dropped out of college to help keep the household going.

In 1959 he met and married the love of his life, Hosea McCarther, and to this union six children were born: Ralph Jr., Charlotte, Marvin (Dean), Byron, Gary and Palmer (PJ). He continued to work jobs from dishwasher at the old Municipal airport restaurant to head custodian for AISD and General Services Administration of IRS, eventually landing another custodial job for the City of Austin.

In 1975, Ralph heard about the city offering financial assistance to city employees who wanted to complete their education so he decided to go back to complete his degree. “One of my mother’s greatest dreams was that at least one of her children finish college and get a degree.”

In 1978, at age 40, he received his BA in Business Administration and transitioned from custodian to Customer Relations Representative for the City of Austin Utility Customer Services Department. When ask what motivates a person to work as hard as Ralph has? “I really wanted to be an example for my children. I’ve got six kids, ages three months to 18 years old. I wanted to show them and myself that I could do it. I’m not one to be passing out advice. But somewhere there may be a young man or woman who feels a better life cannot be reached. They may think that because their parents were not rich, or for other reasons. But for those, I’d like to say you have to work for what you want. It’s never going to be easy. But if you have the determination and you have made up your mind on what you really want to do, nothing can stop you. It helps to have a good wife like my Hosea. I could not have done anything without her.”

Ralph was a faithful member of Mt. Calvary Primitive Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Daniel J. Thomas until his health failed. Ralph served as deacon, taught Sunday school, sung in the choir and was President of the Brotherhood. Because of his love of yard work, he would also cut and trim the lawn and bushes at the church after his brother

Ralph is preceded in death by his daughter, Charlotte Wright-Newton; sisters, Corine (Monk) Smith, Caroline Tolden, Barbara (Tut) Johnson, and Jennie V. Thompson; and his brothers, Howard (Sunny), George, Woody, Bennie (Hammond), Alvin (Ray), Nathan, Melvin, Calvin, William, Earnest (Dudda), and Arthur Wright Jr.

He leaves behind an infinite amount of family and friends: his wife, Hosea B. Wright; his children, Ralph Wright Jr., Marvin Wright, Byron Wright, Gary Wright, Palmer Wright; his grandchildren: Tyra Powell, Tiffany Wright, Brittany Wright, Natasha Wright, Monique Wright-Urdy, Marvin Wright Jr., Gabrielle Wright-Jones, Byron Wright Jr., Demetrius Wright, Meagan Overton, Kasey Overton, Cherille Stevens-Wright, Luther Wright, Miracle Wright, Amari Wright, Gary Wright III, Keyrra Wright, Aiden Wright, LanaMylee Wright, Mela Wright; his great-grandchildren, Jazleen Urdy, Jayla Urdy, Kayliana Wright, Emeri Craney, Cameron Wright-Friday, Ki’yan Wright-Woodard, Christylynn Powell, Jonathon Moore, Malachi Dias, Lehela Diaz, Ryland Jones, Jaiden Jones.

He is also survived by other family and special friends, Bobbie Wright, Sonya Wright, Leilanie Wright, Camille Wright, Jeremy Urdy, Ryan Craney, Dominick Jones, Christopher Woodard, Bettie Harrell, Shirley Grayhouse, Melvin White, Jamye Mitchell.