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Obituaries 8-21-07

H. KENT WRIGHT, JR

RENO, NEVADA - H. Kent Wright, Jr. passed away on 11 August, 2007 in Reno, Nevada.  He was born 6-16-16 in Bridport, Vermont, the son of H. Kent Wright, Sr. & Ruth L. Benedict on the farm in the same room that his father was born in 1895.  The farm has been in the family since 1861 (and still is).

   He attended Bridport, Middlebury & Crown Point, NY schools.  He grew up on the farm in the horse and buggy days, learning to drive his grandparents 1927 Buick at age 11, starting his life long love affair with the steering wheel.  As a teenager, he started a milk can trucking route for neighboring farmers.  He was also a logger and hauled logs to area mills.  His father and grandfather liked fast horses - he liked fast cars and gave fast rides to many people.  He once drove a 1958 Pontiac tri-power at 137 mph with his oldest son as a passenger to verify it - (verified).  He sold cars for Chevrolet & Studebaker dealers in the Mass-Conn areas after WWII.  He worked in wartime machine shops in Springfield-Hartford in the early 40’s.  He was called up in Oct., 1942 and served in the Army Air Corps until May, 1945.  He later bought into Vergennes Motors Pontiac dealership with his brother-in-law Joe Myrick.  He then went from selling cars in Rutland, VT to working in Harolds Club in Reno, Nevada where he worked for 22 1/2 years for Pappy Smith (born in Addison, VT) who founded Harolds Club.  Kent was president of the Pioneers Club of retired Harold Club employees for 5 years.  He loved that area with its wide open spaces, and took many fast trips on the long desert highways.  His last trips were at about 113 mph in June, ‘07 and 118 in July “07.

   Even though he couldn’t pass muster to be an Army Air Corp pilot, (didn’t like to take orders easily), he learned to fly before the war and once flew his plane under the Lake Champlain Bridge.  (He wouldn’t admit it to any authorities.)

   He was a 53 year member of Masonic Lodge of Vergennes, VT, Dorchester #1, The VT Shriners and a member of the Addison County Eagles.

   His last visit to his birthplace in Vermont was in 1995.  His early goal was to help keep the earth populated.  His later goal was to be the longest lived Wright - seems that he was.  He outlived his Aunt Belle by 5 months and 17 days.

   He leaves 10 living children, 26 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren.  Surviving are 7 sons, Kent & Pat, Bridport, Larry & Linda, Las Vegas, Roger & John of Las Vegas, Edwin & Regina, Las Vegas, Kurt & Kim, Burlington and Aaron, Reno.  3 daughters survive, including Beverly Leake of Bennington, Sharman & Wendy of Reno.  A daughter-in-law, Theresa Wright of Vergennes, also survives him.  He leaves a sister, Winifred Preston of St. Petersberg, FL, a sister-in-law, Loretta Wright of Agawam, Mass., former wives, Dorothea Little of Bennington, and Lucille Bodette of Reno.

   He was predeceased by his parents, twin siblings Jack and Shirley Kathryn Wright as well as former wives, Naomi Myrick and Doris Mingus of Reno.

   Funeral and memorial arrangements will be in the Reno, Nevada area where he will be cremated.

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