Miriam "Jo" Wright

TRAVERSE CITY — Miriam "Jo" Ellis Wright, 90, of Traverse City, died Monday, Sept. 1, 2008.

She was the dearly loved wife of Donald F. Wright, whom she married in 2002; and the widow of Albert D. Harris, who passed away in 1992. She was the much beloved mother of three daughters, Miriam (Dave) Sutherland of San Diego, Calif., Helen Harris of Tucson, Ariz., and Gwen (Bill) Stireman of Traverse City. Two stepdaughters, Lisa (Ron) Struss of Minneapolis, Minn., and Barbara Wright of Traverse City; a step grandson; and two step granddaughters also survive her.

Jo was born Feb. 19, 1918, in Brandon, Wis., and adopted by a Methodist minister and his wife, the late John and Katherine Ellis.

She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin, and acquired her master's degree in her 40s, while teaching and raising *a family.

After marrying, Jo and Al lived in Harvard, Ill., before relocating to Grosse Ile, Mich., their home for many happy years.

She was a civics and history teacher as well as a counselor at the Grosse Ile Junior High until retiring in 1980. She truly enjoyed making a difference in the lives of young people and earned the respect of students and colleagues alike. She was voted Best Teacher of the Year in 1972.

After retirement, she and Al lived in Sun City West and Tucson, Ariz., where they developed a close-knit circle of friends, golfed and traveled extensively. Al passed away in Tucson on Christmas Eve, 1992, on their 49th wedding anniversary.

Jo later moved to Traverse City, where she met and married Donald F. Wright on Jan. 12, 2002, and was blessed to have six happy years as his wife. They cherished the company of friends and family.

Jo loved to read, was always up on current events, thrived on new experiences, was an avid Tiger's fan, and above all, was passionate about her family.

A private memorial service will be held for the family, who is grateful for every minute they spent with her. She was very loving, very loved, and she will be greatly missed.

Arrangements are entrusted to Covell Funeral Home, Traverse City.

This obituary was originally published in the Record-Eagle.