Name: Visitation for Roland R. Wright
Start: 2015-10-26T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2015-10-26T02:00:00.000Z
Location: Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary

1919 ~ 2015
Brigadier General Roland R. Wright USAF (Retired), 96, made his final landing on October 19, 2015 after a life of service to family, church and country. He was born March 30, 1919 in Blackfoot, Idaho to Cyril and Esther Robinson Wright as the fifth of six children and lived to be the last leaf on the family tree. Family life on the farm taught him that hard work and religious faith are essential to an abundant life.
Roland served a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Northwestern States Mission (1940-1942) before his military service in World War II (1942-1946) in the United States Army Air Corp. where he flew combat missions over Europe in the P-51 Mustang fighter airplane as part of the 357th Fighter Group of the 8th Air Force. After the end of the war, he married the love of his life, Marjorie McDonough, in the Salt Lake Temple on March 21, 1946.
He served his country during the Korean War (1951-1953) flying jet fighter aircraft and again during the Viet Nam War flying tanker refueling aircraft as part of his service in the Utah Air National Guard. Roland served in the Utah Air National Guard from its creation in 1946 and served as commanding officer at the time of his retirement in 1976. The Utah Air National Guard base was renamed the Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base on the 68th anniversary of the creation of the Air Guard in recognition of his years of devoted service.
Roland graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Political Science and a Law Degree and practiced law as a partner with the firm of Clyde, Mecham and Pratt.
In addition to his initial missionary service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Roland also served as a Tour Guide on Temple Square (1957-1977) Bishop of the Monument Park 2nd Ward, President of the New York City Mission (1977-1980), Director of the Washington, DC Visitors Center (1991-1993) and a sealer in the Salt Lake Temple (1995 to 2012).
Roland loved serving and cherished his many lifelong associations with those with whom he served and made possible an abundant and eventful life. Above all, he loved his family. He is now reunited with his beloved Marjorie who passed away in1994. He is survived by his children Shannon (Kevin) Huntington, Richard Wright, and Gordon (Sue) Wright; 10 grandchildren and 5 great grandsons and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Monday, October 26, 2015 at 12:00 noon at the Monument Park 2nd Ward, 1005 S. 2000 E. SLC, UT, preceded by the viewing from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. A viewing will also be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Sunday, October 25, 2015 at Larkin Sunset Lawn, 2350 E. 1300 S., SLC, UT. Interment will be at the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 S. Highland Drive, SLC, UT.
For an extended obituary and online condolences please visit: www.larkinmortuary.com.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Deseret News from Oct. 23 to Oct. 25, 2015.

Memories and Condolences
for Roland Wright

Sponsored by Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary.

17 Entries

Judd Peterson

July 20, 2024

Judd Peterson

July 20, 2024

Judd Peterson

July 20, 2024

Judd Peterson

July 20, 2024

Judd Peterson

July 20, 2024

I had the privilege of meeting Brigadier General Roland Wright on a trip to Salt Lake City in the summer of 2012. I spent a day with him talking about his experiences in WWII with the 357th. I am the son of Major Richard Peterson who flew with Roland in the 357th FG and 364th FS. My father was one of the four top-scoring triple aces of the 357th, and top scoring ace of the 364th FS. He flew many missions with Roland, and often talked to me with fondness and admiration for Roland. He said Roland was one of the best fighter pilots and wingmen he ever flew with. They got along well and flew some of their most memorable missions together. It was a pleasure to hear Roland's perspective of the common missions my father had recounted to me. In fact, the most memorable mission was the one on which Roland shot down the Me262 jet. Before recounting that story for me, Roland paused and eyed me with a serious look, wanting to emphasize to me the importance and personal significance of what he was going to tell me...that he wanted me to know that, on that single mission, my father had saved his life four separate times. Then he listed those occasions: one, on first encountering two Me262 jets, one at low altitude and the other at high altitude, he said my father directed half of his squadron to peel off in formation and appear to be retreating to England, climb to the higher altitude, and then return to shoot the higher Me262 down, which they did; two, he said my father directed Roland and the remaining two other P-51s to fly to Lechfeld, the German jet base in Germany, and attack the remaining jet on landing there while flying "fence post high" (less than 50 feet in altitude to avoid anti-aircraft fire because their guns were locked to prevent them from shooting up their own assets); three, after Roland shot down the Me262 and the squadron was heading back home to Leiston, England, Roland ran out of fuel over dense cloud cover at Auxerre, France, south of Paris where he said my father dove the remaining three P-51s through the clouds to find an abandoned Nazi air base, recently liberated by Patton's tanks, where they could refuel; and finally, upon return a week later to their home base in Leiston, they found it entirely fogged in with minimal 50 foot visibility and impossible to land. He said my father developed a geometric method to find the runway using the tower radar, his watch, his altitude and compass, and the Pythagorean theory that the longest hypotenuse leg of a 30-60-90 triangle is twice the length of the shortest leg. He flew the short leg and timed it, and then made a 60 degree turn onto the runway hypotenuse leg and flew to zero altitude in twice that time. Well, it worked, and Roland said my father came back up through the clouds and brought each of them in on his wingtip using the same method. The photos I've attached include a shot of my father's plane Hurry Home Honey on the ground in Auxerre after Roland shot the jet down. Two photos of the top four aces of the 357th with my father on the far left. And a shot taken by a waist gunner of a damaged B-17 with two engines out and all their guns and ammo thrown out to keep them flying. This is similar to Roland's experience coming to the aid of another damaged bomber. When my father ended his second tour of duty in March of 1945, Roland took over his "Hurry Home Honey" P-51 and renamed it "Mormon Mustang". I will forever cherish my brief time talking with Roland. I am so grateful for the many kind things he shared with me about my father, and I am so impressed with the many things he accomplished flying in the Utah National Guard after his time in WWII, which I had had no knowledge of until that day. He was also so kind and generous to host me to a fine lunch at his golf club that day. I can't say enough about what a terrific gentleman I found him to be, everything that my father had described about him.

Michael Wilson

November 4, 2015

Pres. Wright was my mission president, NY City, NY, 1978-1980. I learned so much from Pres. & Sis. Wright. They are great people and are totally devoted to the Lord. I know he will be missed but I'm glad he is back with his sweetheart! They are a great team.

Michael Wilson

Karen B Stokes

October 30, 2015

My father served with Gen. Wright for many years at the UANG base. Our extended family remember him fondly as well as he went with fishing and horse back riding with Dad in Meeker, CO. in the early 1960's. They were great men who served UT and their country well. Our deepest condolences. The family of the late Lt. Col. Joseph M Beck.

Mark Pendleton

October 26, 2015

It was an honor to have been able to meet Gen. Wright a few years ago when I had the pleasure of issuing a replacement Military ID to him at the ANG base. He was a great man and a credit to the US Air Force, the state of Utah, and most importantly, his family. My condolences go out to all of his family during this time. Mark Pendleton, MSgt (Ret) UTANG

Mike Stevens

October 26, 2015

Shannon, Richard and Family,
It has been many years since our days in the Monument Park 2nd and the Yale /Harvard neighborhood we grew up in together. I loved and respected your Dad immensely. He was one of the kindest, most straightforward and great individuals I have had the pleasure of knowing. I will never forget how wonderful he and your mother were to the Stevens family as I was growing up in our great neighborhood. Our deepest and most sincere condolences to you all. Mike Stevens

Mark Ford

October 26, 2015

Just a great man. I served a mission from 1976-1978. I have fond memories of sister Wright and President Wright. You will be greatly missed.

RIP

Roger Richards

October 26, 2015

Dear Shannon,
I was srry to read of the passing of your father. I know it's always hard to lose a parent. It sounds like your dad had quite a rewarding life. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Roger Richards

David & Terese Cracroft

October 26, 2015

When we moved into our current neighborhood--31 years ago--Roland and Marjorie were some of the very first neighbors to introduce themselves and get us immediately involved. We owe a lot of our family's happiness and success to the Wrights. So glad for your warm reunion. 'Til we meet again. Much love, The Cracrofts

Jeff Stevens

October 25, 2015

What a great man. We loved being in the same ward for many years together. He achieved much in his life to his country, church and family.

He will be missed, but is now with his wife.

Condolences,

Jeff and Cathy Stevens family

Mark Waite

October 24, 2015

Thank you Wright family for your father's service. It was because of him that my father was saved in WWII.
One day while returning from a bombing mission to Germany, my father's B-17 plane sustained a mechanical problem and he had to drop out of formation and fly on his own back to England. This was extremely dangerous as he did not have the protection of the other bombers. He knew that Heavenly Father would protect him and guide him back home. He had the faith. Suddenly, out of the sky coming from the sun, came a fighter plane. Everyone thought it was a German fighter but my father told the gunners to hold their fire. As the fighter came in closer to the bomber, everyone was getting really nervous and wanted to open fire on the plane. My father had the faith and the assurance that all would be alright. Everyone was praying that they would be alright. The fighter pulled up aside of the bomber and it was an American fighter plane. The whole crew cheered and then they saw the name that was painted on the side of the fighter. Mormon Mustang. The entire crew told my father, they now know who to pray to, The Mormon pilot's God. The next day at church, a fighter pilot got up to bear his testimony and told of that the day before, he was flying high in the clouds and had a distinct feeling that he should dive down through the clouds. He did so and when he came out of the clouds, he saw this lonely B-17 flying in open sky above enemy territory. He said that he flew down and escorted this crazy B-17 pilot back to the base in England. My dad stood up and said that he was that crazy B-17 pilot and it was not by chance that he found them. He prayed the fighter pilot to him. The fighter pilot was Noland Wright and the B-17 pilot was Noble J. Waite.

Montoya

October 24, 2015

Thank you for your service and sacrifices for our country. I'm so sorry for your loss.

David White, MSG Retired

October 24, 2015

It was pleasure and challenge to be lead by this uplifting leader as a member of the UANG. His can-do positive attitude helped us meet all the Air Force requirements in eight days a month compared to the 30 days regulars had. I'm sure the Lord has special orders for him in the next phase of special opps. Naming the Base after him is a fitting tribute.

October 23, 2015

This good man introduced my mother and me to the LDS church on Temple Square in 1962. His kind and thoughtful expressions immediately taught us that he truly loved the Savior. Because of Roland, untold generations of the Little, Ahrens, Gibby, and Brinkerhoff families, and those they have brought into the church, have been blessed with the restored gospel. We are eternally grateful that Roland Wright blessed us with his testimony, his example, and his love. How wonderful that we reconnected 15 years ago with Roland, and spent many happy hours together. He is a beloved friend and will truly be missed. We all love you, dear friend.

Nancy Lee Ahrens

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