Angela WRIGHT

1960 - 2024

ANGELA WRIGHT January 12, 1960 - January 15, 2024 Angela Wright, the convivial daughter of clinical psychologists Morgan and Marion Wright, was raised along with three older brothers in a book-filled old home in Winnipeg. She was already a disciplined reader by the time she entered school and liked to point out (with tongue in cheek) that she skipped kindergarten! Angela's easy-going parents afforded her an unusual degree of personal freedom for a young lass. Summers were particularly memorable at the family's rustic cottage on an island in Lake of the Woods. She devoured novels (the racier the better), swam "laps" around the island, learned how to sail and handle a boat. But nothing defined little "Angie" more than her merry determination from an early age to make friends and keep them. Resistance was futile. When her playful spirit grabbed hold it was not letting go. Remarkably, Angela's close pals from grade school stayed close pals; decades later when travelling together abroad, they laughingly called themselves "the Winnipeg supermodels." Angela loved the arts, musical theatre in particular, and fell hard for choral singing. She won awards in competition with her beautiful voice and later sang in Toronto's Mendelssohn Choir. In 1981, she trundled off to graduate school at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. She acted up a storm in the school's esteemed drama program and bonded like super glue with a band of charismatic classmates. Angela's training as a performer and competitive singer led to a highly successful career as a talent agent in Toronto. Actors and industry colleagues were charmed by her personal warmth and sense of humour. But when husband Greg was transferred to Washington, D.C., Angela temporarily parked her career to spend four unforgettable years closer to their young children. She adapted quickly to the new environment, in part by 'picking up" other Moms out with their kids. Her disarming sociability certainly helped the whole family thrive in Washington and yielded many enduring friendships. Angela was very fond of parties. Dinner parties, costume parties, crazy dance parties. In gatherings of any size, she held court with grace and infectious enthusiasm. Her "Madman" house party with 70 people in full regalia was a classic. Another passion was tennis. Her mates would happily shovel two feet of snow off the courts for a match. Angela played with love and gusto and yet never took things too seriously. She and her doubles partner got a huge kick out of winning the Ladies B consolation final at their club - joking that they were the "winners of the losers!" Angela's world came full circle several years ago with the purchase of a rustic cottage on an island in Georgian Bay. She saw life by the lake as a gift - whether paddling in the back bay with loons calling, hiking along picturesque trails, or sharing drinks and appetizers in the glow of a surreal sunset. Nothing could be finer than time spent at "Mermaid Rock" with a parade of mirthful friends. Angela's sudden death from an acute heart ailment was a devastating shock. But even in critical condition as she was being wheeled into the operating room she managed a classic Angie Wright zinger. Told she was being taken in for surgery, she raised her head and said "Ok. Can they do a facelift?" This radiant, beautiful woman will be deeply missed by her loving husband, Greg; sons, Luke, Kyle and Nicolas; surviving brothers, Allan and Henry Wright; and a wide circle of admirers. A celebration of life will be held at 6 p.m. on April 19th in Toronto. Please consider a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Angela's memory (heartandstroke.crowdchange.ca/54379).