Theodore Paul Wright Ph.D. Jr.

1926 - 2021

Theodore (Ted) Wright, 94, retired professor and longtime resident of Glen Eddy Retirement Community, passed away at Schenectady Center for Rehab and Nursing on January 12, 2021. He was born on April 12, 1926 in Port Washington, NY, to Theodore Paul and Margaret McCarl Wright. He was predeceased by his parents and brother, Douglas Wright. He graduated from the Landon School for Boys, Bethesda, MD; Swarthmore College, BA 1949 , Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude; Yale University, MA 1951, PhD 1957; served in the US Navy 1944-5. Married Susan Standfast, MD, Feb. 18, 1967; children Henry, Margaret & Catherine (twins). Teaching experience included Bates College, Lewiston, ME ( instructor, assistant professor, associate professor) in Government Dept.; Indian Civilization at University of Chicago, 1961-62; Graduate School of Public Affairs, State University of New York at Albany (Associate Professor, Professor of Political Science 1971). Taught Political Development, Democracies, Totalitarianism, South Asian Politics, Minority Groups in the New Nations, Contemporary Government, Comparative Ethnicity, and Comparative Public Policy. Research area politics of Indian Muslims and Pakistan. Sabbaticals in India, London, England and Karachi, Pakistan. He published "American Support of Free Elections Abroad" in 1964. He presented papers at numerous meetings and published a large number of papers in professional, peer-reviewed journals. He was a Fulbright Senior Research Professor in India, 1963- 64 and in Pakistan, 1983-84. In 1969-70 he had an American Institute of Indian Studies Fellowship in Bombay. He was listed in "Who's Who" and "American Men of Science: The Behavioral Sciences", and the Asian Studies Directory. Ted was a member of the American Political Science Association, New York Political Science Association, the Columbia University Faculty Seminar on Social Change in South and Southeast Asia, and a trustee of the American Institute of Pakistan Studies, 1973-82. He enjoyed travel (all seven continents), hiking (member of the Adirondack Mountain Club and an ADK 46'er, reading, and playing the piano. He was an active member and past president of the Dutch Settlers Society of Albany. He was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany. He is survived by his wife, three children and six grandchildren, as well as nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service will be announced at a later date. Contributions may be made to the Adirondack Mountain Club, 814 Goggins Rd., Lake George, NY 12845-9900. Arrangements are by Simple Choices, Inc. To leave a special message for the family, please visit: SimpleChoicesCremation.com.