Philip A. Wright

WALLINGFORD - Philip A. Wright, Sr., 91, of Cedar St., Wallingford, died Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was the beloved husband of the late Mary Perendi Wright.

Phil was born Nov. 21, 1919 in Warwick, N.Y., a son of the late Edward and Della Higgins Wright. He was a 1942 graduate of Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn. He had been employed at American Cyanamid Company as an Industrial Manager for 42 years until his retirement. Mr. Wright was a member of the Church of the Resurrection and the Knights of Columbus, Pinta Council No. 5. He had served locally on the Wallingford Planning & Zoning Commission, Chamber of Commerce, Meriden - Wallingford Hospital Board, and had participated in fund raising drives for the YMCA and other civic organizations. He was a past president of the Wallingford Visiting Nurses Association. Phil was also a member of numerous conservation and nature preservation groups, including the QRWA, Wallingford Land Trust, the Community Lake Restoration Committee, Rivers Alliance, Farmland Preservation Trust and the National Parks Association. He was dedicated to attending town council and P.U.C. meetings. He enjoyed gardening, canning tomatoes, fishing in the Adirondacks, Yankee baseball and UConn men's and women's basketball. He was a member A.A. for many years.

He is survived by his three daughters and three sons-in-law, Kathleen and Robert Kirschmann, of Wallingford, Mary Ellen and Paul Wettemann, of North Guilford, and Margaret Ann and Glenn Shabbott, of Wallingford; his two sons and daughter-in-law, Wallingford Judge of Probate Philip A. Wright Jr. and Suzanne Wright, and Timothy O. Wright, all of Wallingford; his 12 grandchildren, Christopher Shabbott and his wife, Britne, Megan Santillo and her husband, Mike, Kevin Shabbott, Robert Kirschmann and his wife, Monica, Mary Kirschmann, Philip A. Wright III, Emmet Wright, Rebecca Wright, Lori Gambardella, Della Wright, Paul Wettemann III, and John Wright Wettemann; three great-grandchildren, Michael Santillo Jr., Alexander Santillo and Robert Kirschmann Jr.; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his grandson, Ryan Shabbott; and his nine siblings, Alice Foley, Margaret Jeffries, Joseph Wright, Grace Falck, Evelyn Dowd, John Wright, Robert Wright, Kathleen Wright and Una Brader. and nbsp; Phil wished to express publicly his gratitude for the privilege of knowing and working with many wonderful local people. He wishes all his friends and family as happy a life as has been his good fortune to enjoy.

His family will receive relatives and friends in The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 N. Main St. Ext., from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8. Funeral services will be held on Friday at 11 a.m. from The Wallingford Funeral Home when the funeral cortege will proceed to Church of the Resurrection, where a Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 12 p.m. Interment will be in Center Cemetery in North Haven. In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory may be sent to The Dry Dock, 68 ½ Quinnipiac St., Wallingford, CT 06492.

www.wallingfordfh.com