RICHARD E. WRIGHT, 80, died at his home on March 26, 2003. Richard was born in Racine, Wisconsin on May 9, 1922. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and Tau Beta Pi Honorary Engineering Society. Richard proudly served his country in the 8th Air Force and was awarded the Purple Heart during WWII. He will be best remembered for his love of family, kind nature, and wonderful sense of humor. Richard was preceded in death by his son Tony and is survived by his beloved wife "Rosie", with whom he enjoyed 59 years of marriage; sons: Rick Wright and wife Jean, Mike Wright and wife Dawn; daughters: Terri Wright, Suzy Taylor and husband Steve; grandchildren: Willie, Rachel, Justin, Barton and Annie; and many close and cherished friends and extended family. A vigil will be held at 7:00 p.m. with visitation to follow, Sunday, March 30 at Earthman Bellaire Chapel, 6700 Ferris. Mass of the Resurrection: 9:30 a.m., Monday, March 31, 2003 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 9900 Stella Link. Rite of Committal: Houston National Cemetery. The family requests donations be made in his name to St. Thomas High School where Richard served as the Founding President of the Eagle Booster Club, or to the charity of your choice.
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Richard Wright, 80, eluded Nazis in WWII
Richard E. Wright, a World War II Army Air Corps bombardier who remarkably escaped death when his aircraft was shot down over Nazi-occupied Belgium, died Wednesday at his Houston home of an apparent heart attack. He was 80.
Wright, a native of Racine, Wis., stationed in England, had embarked on a bombing mission on June 14, 1944, when his B-24 Liberator was downed by anti-aircraft fire. Wright parachuted from the stricken plane, breaking his ankle on landing.
Located and befriended by anti-Nazi villagers, Wright was nursed back to health and put to work in the fields.
"They told everyone he was a deaf mute to disguise the fact that he didn't speak French," his daughter, Suzy Taylor, said.
Meanwhile, his wife, Rosie, was notified that her husband was missing in action.
"She received a letter he had written -- one of those 'if something happens' letters," Taylor said. "It said something like, 'If I don't make it, we'll be together in eternity.' We plan to read it at his funeral. It was a beautiful letter."
Wright's wife, however, refused to believe her husband was dead, their daughter said.
"She said if it had been true, she would have felt it," Taylor said. "And she never felt that way."
With the liberation of Belgium, Wright returned to the United States.
After the war, Wright completed his education at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., graduating summa cum laude with a degree in engineering. In 1955, he and his wife moved to Houston to join his father in a business venture.
Wright, who received a Purple Heart for his WW II experience, was a Houston homebuilder.
On the day of his death, his daughter said, he returned from the supermarket, put groceries on the counter and told his wife, "I wrote a $30 check."
"She heard a crash and he was dead," she said. "It must have been something like a heart attack."
"I wanted to tell this story in this time of war to remind all of those people who have loved ones missing in action not to despair," Taylor said. "As hopeless as they may feel -- keep my mother's experience in mind. She got to spend another 59 years with her husband."
In addition to his wife and daughter, Wright is survived by two sons, Rick Wright and Mike Wright; another daughter, Terri Wright; and five grandchildren.
A vigil will be held 7 p.m. today at Earthman Bellaire Chapel, 6700 Ferris. Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 9900 Stella Link, with burial at Houston National Cemetery.
Houston Chronicle, Houston, Texas, March 30, 2003.
~
Richard Wright, 80, eluded Nazis in WWII
Richard E. Wright, a World War II Army Air Corps bombardier who remarkably escaped death when his aircraft was shot down over Nazi-occupied Belgium, died Wednesday at his Houston home of an apparent heart attack. He was 80.
Wright, a native of Racine, Wis., stationed in England, had embarked on a bombing mission on June 14, 1944, when his B-24 Liberator was downed by anti-aircraft fire. Wright parachuted from the stricken plane, breaking his ankle on landing.
Located and befriended by anti-Nazi villagers, Wright was nursed back to health and put to work in the fields.
"They told everyone he was a deaf mute to disguise the fact that he didn't speak French," his daughter, Suzy Taylor, said.
Meanwhile, his wife, Rosie, was notified that her husband was missing in action.
"She received a letter he had written -- one of those 'if something happens' letters," Taylor said. "It said something like, 'If I don't make it, we'll be together in eternity.' We plan to read it at his funeral. It was a beautiful letter."
Wright's wife, however, refused to believe her husband was dead, their daughter said.
"She said if it had been true, she would have felt it," Taylor said. "And she never felt that way."
With the liberation of Belgium, Wright returned to the United States.
After the war, Wright completed his education at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., graduating summa cum laude with a degree in engineering. In 1955, he and his wife moved to Houston to join his father in a business venture.
Wright, who received a Purple Heart for his WW II experience, was a Houston homebuilder.
On the day of his death, his daughter said, he returned from the supermarket, put groceries on the counter and told his wife, "I wrote a $30 check."
"She heard a crash and he was dead," she said. "It must have been something like a heart attack."
"I wanted to tell this story in this time of war to remind all of those people who have loved ones missing in action not to despair," Taylor said. "As hopeless as they may feel -- keep my mother's experience in mind. She got to spend another 59 years with her husband."
In addition to his wife and daughter, Wright is survived by two sons, Rick Wright and Mike Wright; another daughter, Terri Wright; and five grandchildren.
A vigil will be held 7 p.m. today at Earthman Bellaire Chapel, 6700 Ferris. Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 9900 Stella Link, with burial at Houston National Cemetery.
Houston Chronicle, Houston, Texas, March 30, 2003.
RICHARD E. WRIGHT, 80, died at his home on March 26, 2003. Richard was born in Racine, Wisconsin on May 9, 1922. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and Tau Beta Pi Honorary Engineering Society. Richard proudly served his country in the 8th Air Force and was awarded the Purple Heart during WWII. He will be best remembered for his love of family, kind nature, and wonderful sense of humor. Richard was preceded in death by his son Tony and is survived by his beloved wife "Rosie", with whom he enjoyed 59 years of marriage; sons: Rick Wright and wife Jean, Mike Wright and wife Dawn; daughters: Terri Wright, Suzy Taylor and husband Steve; grandchildren: Willie, Rachel, Justin, Barton and Annie; and many close and cherished friends and extended family. A vigil will be held at 7:00 p.m. with visitation to follow, Sunday, March 30 at Earthman Bellaire Chapel, 6700 Ferris. Mass of the Resurrection: 9:30 a.m., Monday, March 31, 2003 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 9900 Stella Link. Rite of Committal: Houston National Cemetery. The family requests donations be made in his name to St. Thomas High School where Richard served as the Founding President of the Eagle Booster Club, or to the charity of your choice.
~
Richard Wright, 80, eluded Nazis in WWII
Richard E. Wright, a World War II Army Air Corps bombardier who remarkably escaped death when his aircraft was shot down over Nazi-occupied Belgium, died Wednesday at his Houston home of an apparent heart attack. He was 80.
Wright, a native of Racine, Wis., stationed in England, had embarked on a bombing mission on June 14, 1944, when his B-24 Liberator was downed by anti-aircraft fire. Wright parachuted from the stricken plane, breaking his ankle on landing.
Located and befriended by anti-Nazi villagers, Wright was nursed back to health and put to work in the fields.
"They told everyone he was a deaf mute to disguise the fact that he didn't speak French," his daughter, Suzy Taylor, said.
Meanwhile, his wife, Rosie, was notified that her husband was missing in action.
"She received a letter he had written -- one of those 'if something happens' letters," Taylor said. "It said something like, 'If I don't make it, we'll be together in eternity.' We plan to read it at his funeral. It was a beautiful letter."
Wright's wife, however, refused to believe her husband was dead, their daughter said.
"She said if it had been true, she would have felt it," Taylor said. "And she never felt that way."
With the liberation of Belgium, Wright returned to the United States.
After the war, Wright completed his education at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., graduating summa cum laude with a degree in engineering. In 1955, he and his wife moved to Houston to join his father in a business venture.
Wright, who received a Purple Heart for his WW II experience, was a Houston homebuilder.
On the day of his death, his daughter said, he returned from the supermarket, put groceries on the counter and told his wife, "I wrote a $30 check."
"She heard a crash and he was dead," she said. "It must have been something like a heart attack."
"I wanted to tell this story in this time of war to remind all of those people who have loved ones missing in action not to despair," Taylor said. "As hopeless as they may feel -- keep my mother's experience in mind. She got to spend another 59 years with her husband."
In addition to his wife and daughter, Wright is survived by two sons, Rick Wright and Mike Wright; another daughter, Terri Wright; and five grandchildren.
A vigil will be held 7 p.m. today at Earthman Bellaire Chapel, 6700 Ferris. Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 9900 Stella Link, with burial at Houston National Cemetery.
Houston Chronicle, Houston, Texas, March 30, 2003.
~
Richard Wright, 80, eluded Nazis in WWII
Richard E. Wright, a World War II Army Air Corps bombardier who remarkably escaped death when his aircraft was shot down over Nazi-occupied Belgium, died Wednesday at his Houston home of an apparent heart attack. He was 80.
Wright, a native of Racine, Wis., stationed in England, had embarked on a bombing mission on June 14, 1944, when his B-24 Liberator was downed by anti-aircraft fire. Wright parachuted from the stricken plane, breaking his ankle on landing.
Located and befriended by anti-Nazi villagers, Wright was nursed back to health and put to work in the fields.
"They told everyone he was a deaf mute to disguise the fact that he didn't speak French," his daughter, Suzy Taylor, said.
Meanwhile, his wife, Rosie, was notified that her husband was missing in action.
"She received a letter he had written -- one of those 'if something happens' letters," Taylor said. "It said something like, 'If I don't make it, we'll be together in eternity.' We plan to read it at his funeral. It was a beautiful letter."
Wright's wife, however, refused to believe her husband was dead, their daughter said.
"She said if it had been true, she would have felt it," Taylor said. "And she never felt that way."
With the liberation of Belgium, Wright returned to the United States.
After the war, Wright completed his education at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., graduating summa cum laude with a degree in engineering. In 1955, he and his wife moved to Houston to join his father in a business venture.
Wright, who received a Purple Heart for his WW II experience, was a Houston homebuilder.
On the day of his death, his daughter said, he returned from the supermarket, put groceries on the counter and told his wife, "I wrote a $30 check."
"She heard a crash and he was dead," she said. "It must have been something like a heart attack."
"I wanted to tell this story in this time of war to remind all of those people who have loved ones missing in action not to despair," Taylor said. "As hopeless as they may feel -- keep my mother's experience in mind. She got to spend another 59 years with her husband."
In addition to his wife and daughter, Wright is survived by two sons, Rick Wright and Mike Wright; another daughter, Terri Wright; and five grandchildren.
A vigil will be held 7 p.m. today at Earthman Bellaire Chapel, 6700 Ferris. Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 9900 Stella Link, with burial at Houston National Cemetery.
Houston Chronicle, Houston, Texas, March 30, 2003.
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