Richard P. Wright

Richard P. Wright
(18 October 1940 - 19 May 2025)

Richard P. (Dick) Wright, Jr. of Houston died on 19 May after a short illness. Born and raised in Monroe, LA, he was the only child of Grace (Elliott) and Richard P Wright, Sr. Graduating from Neville High School in 1958, he went on to receive his BA in economics from Rice University in 1962, to serve as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1963-66, and to complete his MBA at Stanford University in 1968. He spent his business career in sundry financial roles, but never allowed his career to define him.

As a junior at Rice, he met and relentlessly pursued his future wife, Martha McKean Wright, whom he wed in 1965. Their loving and balanced partnership lasted for nearly 58 years, until her death in 2023.

He and Martha were longtime active members of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Houston, where he served numerous terms on the Vestry, including four as Senior Warden, as well as in capacities including Treasurer, Lay Reader, Chalice Bearer, co-chair of the Stewardship Committee and, most recently, chair of the parish's 75th Anniversary Committee.

His loyalty to Rice led him to serve in many alumni roles there. Dick was the Class of '62 representative on the Rice Fund, class co-chairman for the Golden Reunion during the Institute's Centennial Celebration, and was currently in his second term on the Board of the Friends of Fondren Library.

In recent years he had avidly revived his skills at contract bridge and had thrown himself into his role as a youth mentor in Spring Branch ISD's Reading Buddies program - tutoring children both before and after the pandemic.

He and Martha shared a love of travel, visiting over 50 countries together in the last 20+ years. Their strategy of making the more challenging trips first (from Tibet to Machu Picchu, East Africa to the Andes) and leaving cruise ships for later proved wise. He was planning to head for Banff, Canada on his first solo adventure when he was taken ill.

Dick was preceded in death by his wife Martha in 2023. He is survived by sons Charles (Heidi) and Duncan, as well as a slew of favorite cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 2 PM on the Feast of All Saints: Saturday, November 1, at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 345 Piney Point Road, Houston, TX.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Médecins Sans Frontieres (msf.org) or Heifer International (heifer.org).

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