Richard was son of Leon and Catherine Laughlin Wright.
Longtime Theater Supporter
He was never a contender for lead player, but Richard O. Wright was one of the stalwarts in supporting roles in more than 20 years with Civic Theater.
That's the way Civic Director Paul Dreher and Others connected with the theater remembered Wright as they visited his wife and children at Reyers North Valley Funeral Home at 2815 Fuller Ave. NE or planned to attend Wednesday's 10 AM funeral at St. Jude's Church, 1110 Four Mile Road NE.
Wright, a Grand Rapids native and a graduate of Catholic Central High School, died at St. Mary's Hospital Saturday after a two-year struggle with cancer. He was 54.
He lived at 2134 Daylor Drive NE.
Dreher recalls that Wright's first Civic appearance was in the early 1960s.
"He had a good, solid, rugged face and was big and he fitted into a lot of different supporting parts," said Dreher. "He was the type of performer you could depend on. Nothing spectacular, but a solid actor."
He played in many musicals, mostly in small or chorus parts, and in key supporting roles in such productions as "Teahouse of the August Moon:, "The Crucible:, "Fiddler on the Roof", "Inherit the Wind", "Guys and Dolls", and "Streetcar Named Desire."
Wright also served on the theater's Board of Directors and was campaign chairman for at least two membership drives. He also took part in various other theater projects, including the New Theater Fund Campaign.
He had worked in transportation for many years and was sales manager for American Freight Systems at the time of his death. A Navy veteran, he was a member of the Creston VFW Post 3023 and the American Legion Boat & Canoe Club.
He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; seven daughters, Rosalie, Patricia, Mary and Janice, all of Grand Rapids, and Marjorie, Elizabeth and Sharon, at home; three sons, Richard Jr, of Cedar Springs, Keven of Grand Rapids and Matthew at home; his mother, Catherine Wright of Grand Rapids; a sister Kathleon Parente of Grand Rapids; a brother, James of Middleville, and two grandchildren.
Burial will be in Fairplains Cemetery.
(Article from Grand Rapids Press, February 1981)
Longtime Theater Supporter
He was never a contender for lead player, but Richard O. Wright was one of the stalwarts in supporting roles in more than 20 years with Civic Theater.
That's the way Civic Director Paul Dreher and Others connected with the theater remembered Wright as they visited his wife and children at Reyers North Valley Funeral Home at 2815 Fuller Ave. NE or planned to attend Wednesday's 10 AM funeral at St. Jude's Church, 1110 Four Mile Road NE.
Wright, a Grand Rapids native and a graduate of Catholic Central High School, died at St. Mary's Hospital Saturday after a two-year struggle with cancer. He was 54.
He lived at 2134 Daylor Drive NE.
Dreher recalls that Wright's first Civic appearance was in the early 1960s.
"He had a good, solid, rugged face and was big and he fitted into a lot of different supporting parts," said Dreher. "He was the type of performer you could depend on. Nothing spectacular, but a solid actor."
He played in many musicals, mostly in small or chorus parts, and in key supporting roles in such productions as "Teahouse of the August Moon:, "The Crucible:, "Fiddler on the Roof", "Inherit the Wind", "Guys and Dolls", and "Streetcar Named Desire."
Wright also served on the theater's Board of Directors and was campaign chairman for at least two membership drives. He also took part in various other theater projects, including the New Theater Fund Campaign.
He had worked in transportation for many years and was sales manager for American Freight Systems at the time of his death. A Navy veteran, he was a member of the Creston VFW Post 3023 and the American Legion Boat & Canoe Club.
He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; seven daughters, Rosalie, Patricia, Mary and Janice, all of Grand Rapids, and Marjorie, Elizabeth and Sharon, at home; three sons, Richard Jr, of Cedar Springs, Keven of Grand Rapids and Matthew at home; his mother, Catherine Wright of Grand Rapids; a sister Kathleon Parente of Grand Rapids; a brother, James of Middleville, and two grandchildren.
Burial will be in Fairplains Cemetery.
(Article from Grand Rapids Press, February 1981)
Richard was son of Leon and Catherine Laughlin Wright.
Longtime Theater Supporter
He was never a contender for lead player, but Richard O. Wright was one of the stalwarts in supporting roles in more than 20 years with Civic Theater.
That's the way Civic Director Paul Dreher and Others connected with the theater remembered Wright as they visited his wife and children at Reyers North Valley Funeral Home at 2815 Fuller Ave. NE or planned to attend Wednesday's 10 AM funeral at St. Jude's Church, 1110 Four Mile Road NE.
Wright, a Grand Rapids native and a graduate of Catholic Central High School, died at St. Mary's Hospital Saturday after a two-year struggle with cancer. He was 54.
He lived at 2134 Daylor Drive NE.
Dreher recalls that Wright's first Civic appearance was in the early 1960s.
"He had a good, solid, rugged face and was big and he fitted into a lot of different supporting parts," said Dreher. "He was the type of performer you could depend on. Nothing spectacular, but a solid actor."
He played in many musicals, mostly in small or chorus parts, and in key supporting roles in such productions as "Teahouse of the August Moon:, "The Crucible:, "Fiddler on the Roof", "Inherit the Wind", "Guys and Dolls", and "Streetcar Named Desire."
Wright also served on the theater's Board of Directors and was campaign chairman for at least two membership drives. He also took part in various other theater projects, including the New Theater Fund Campaign.
He had worked in transportation for many years and was sales manager for American Freight Systems at the time of his death. A Navy veteran, he was a member of the Creston VFW Post 3023 and the American Legion Boat & Canoe Club.
He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; seven daughters, Rosalie, Patricia, Mary and Janice, all of Grand Rapids, and Marjorie, Elizabeth and Sharon, at home; three sons, Richard Jr, of Cedar Springs, Keven of Grand Rapids and Matthew at home; his mother, Catherine Wright of Grand Rapids; a sister Kathleon Parente of Grand Rapids; a brother, James of Middleville, and two grandchildren.
Burial will be in Fairplains Cemetery.
(Article from Grand Rapids Press, February 1981)
Longtime Theater Supporter
He was never a contender for lead player, but Richard O. Wright was one of the stalwarts in supporting roles in more than 20 years with Civic Theater.
That's the way Civic Director Paul Dreher and Others connected with the theater remembered Wright as they visited his wife and children at Reyers North Valley Funeral Home at 2815 Fuller Ave. NE or planned to attend Wednesday's 10 AM funeral at St. Jude's Church, 1110 Four Mile Road NE.
Wright, a Grand Rapids native and a graduate of Catholic Central High School, died at St. Mary's Hospital Saturday after a two-year struggle with cancer. He was 54.
He lived at 2134 Daylor Drive NE.
Dreher recalls that Wright's first Civic appearance was in the early 1960s.
"He had a good, solid, rugged face and was big and he fitted into a lot of different supporting parts," said Dreher. "He was the type of performer you could depend on. Nothing spectacular, but a solid actor."
He played in many musicals, mostly in small or chorus parts, and in key supporting roles in such productions as "Teahouse of the August Moon:, "The Crucible:, "Fiddler on the Roof", "Inherit the Wind", "Guys and Dolls", and "Streetcar Named Desire."
Wright also served on the theater's Board of Directors and was campaign chairman for at least two membership drives. He also took part in various other theater projects, including the New Theater Fund Campaign.
He had worked in transportation for many years and was sales manager for American Freight Systems at the time of his death. A Navy veteran, he was a member of the Creston VFW Post 3023 and the American Legion Boat & Canoe Club.
He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; seven daughters, Rosalie, Patricia, Mary and Janice, all of Grand Rapids, and Marjorie, Elizabeth and Sharon, at home; three sons, Richard Jr, of Cedar Springs, Keven of Grand Rapids and Matthew at home; his mother, Catherine Wright of Grand Rapids; a sister Kathleon Parente of Grand Rapids; a brother, James of Middleville, and two grandchildren.
Burial will be in Fairplains Cemetery.
(Article from Grand Rapids Press, February 1981)
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