Fredric Stevenson Wright

1948 - 2015

Fredric Stevenson Wright of Ardmore Fredric Stevenson Wright, “Rick”, age 67, of Ardmore, PA, died peacefully while surrounded by family on October 12, 2015, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in San Francisco on February 19, 1948 to Frances Stevenson and Russell Mason Wright, Rick and five sisters and one brother were raised in Southern California. After graduating from Ulysses S. Grant High School, in Van Nuys, CA, Rick conscientiously objected to conscription into the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He trained as a medic at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, and served as an operating room technician at Fort Campbell, KY from 1971-1973. Following his military service, Rick attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and began his career in surgical sales. In 1977, he joined Synthes Ltd. USA, a medical device manufacturer of implants to mend bone fractures, headquartered in Switzerland. From a territory based in Seattle, WA, Rick worked with surgeons and hospitals from Oregon to Idaho to Montana and Alaska, introducing them to orthopedic internal fixation solutions. In 1982, he moved to the Synthes U.S. headquarters in Paoli, PA, where he served for nearly two decades. He continued to work in the orthopedic device and biomaterials sector with subsequent jobs at Aesculap, Exogen and OsteoTech. Outside of work, he was a self-taught and passionate sailor who skippered boats in Puget Sound, the Straits of San Juan de Fuca, Caribbean Sea, Chesapeake Bay and canals in Erie, NY, Champlain, NY and France’s Canal du Midi. He was a member of Corinthian Yacht Club in Essington, PA and Rock Hall Yacht Club in Rock Hall, MD. As a gifted woodworker, he used those talents to build small sailboats in his apartment and basement. Rick was a very active member and leader at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Ardmore, PA. He began service on the vestry in 1988 and served in that role three times from 1988-1991, 1993-1995, and 2004-2006. He acted as Rector’s Warden from 2008-2012. His favorite ministry was as a Journey to Adulthood (J2A) youth mentor where he led two spiritual pilgrimages to Ireland in 2002 and 2008. Finally, Rick was a devoted husband to Anne Jeffrey Wright, whom he met in Seattle and married in 1983 and a loving and very proud father to Abbe Liscomb and Jeffrey Stevenson. In addition, he was a beloved uncle to a wonderful group of nieces and nephews from coast to coast. He is also survived by siblings Catherine Abbe (Tyler), Caroline Susan (Byron), Margaret Ross, Anne Elizabeth (Steve), Sarah Jane (Rick) and Michael Phineas (Mitchell), as well as siblings-in-law Sally (Mark), Stan (Ann Marie), Betsy (Tom), Andy (Dorothy) and Lisa. Since his diagnosis nearly four years ago, Rick received extraordinary care from teams at Bryn Mawr Hospital and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania lead by Dr. Edward Stadtmauer and caring professionals on Rhoads 6, Perleman 2 West and Penn Caring Way for which his family is deeply grateful. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 17th, 2015, 2:00 P.M. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 36 Ardmore Avenue, Ardmore, PA with a private reception to follow at the Wright’s home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware, 1901 Rockland Road, Wilmington, DE 19803 (www.rmhde.org) or to the St. Mary’s Church Choir, 36 Ardmore Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003. Chadwick & McKinney Funeral Home Inc. www.chadwickmckinney.com