R. Douglas Wright

1947 - 2025

WRIGHT, Sr., R. Douglas

Mr. Richard Douglas "Doug" Wright, Sr., retired attorney, passed away at his home on Saturday, April 5, 2025, surrounded by family.

Doug was born in Detroit, MI, on February 7, 1947, the second of two sons born to Harriet and Rolla Wright. Active in sports at Grosse Pointe High, Doug received varsity letters in football and baseball. Ranking in the top 10 of a class with more than 900 students, Doug graduated Cum Laude as a National Merit semifinalist and a member of the National Honor Society. While receiving both an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy and a Scholarship Award from Princeton University, Doug decided to follow in his brother Al's footsteps and attend Cornell University. From a field of 3,000 candidates, he received the Cornell National Award – the highest honor granted to the university's scholarship applicants.

At Cornell, Doug was a Dean's List student, a fellow of several national honorary scholastic societies, an active member and President of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, and a member of the baseball and sprint football teams, earning MVP for the 1968 football season. After graduating from Cornell with honors in 1969 with a Mechanical Engineering degree, Doug began law school at the University of Michigan. In 1971, Doug enlisted with the United States Navy.

Graduating first in his class from Officer Candidate School, Doug was deployed on the USS Chicago to the Gulf of Tonkin in November 1971. His responsibility was to read radar screens, detect contacts, and communicate whether they were friendly or hostile. His post was situated, he liked to playfully recall, inconveniently between the ship's ammunition and gasoline reserves. Doug went on to teach science and coach football and lacrosse at the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Bainbridge, MD from 1973–1975.

After his time in the Navy, Doug resumed studies at Georgetown Law, where he was the Managing Editor of "Law and Policy in International Business." Graduating in 1978, he moved to Atlanta and practiced tax law for 38 years, retiring with Holland & Knight in 2015. Doug's interests outside of his career included coaching, teaching bible study, playing golf, and participating in his local Rotary Club. He was a Charter Member of the Dunwoody Rotary Club, a Paul Harris Fellow, and served as Club President in 1992-1993. In 1987 he was a founding member of the Atlanta National Golf Club. Following retirement, Doug moved to Bluffton, SC where he made deep friendships, enjoyed activities including karaoke, golf and croquet, and anchored two TV series – "The Breeze" and "Sports Done Wright."

Doug was preceded in death by his father, Rolla Vernon Wright; his mother, Harriet Louise Newcomb Wright; and his brother, Alan "Al" Murray Wright. Doug is survived by his former wife, Catherine "Cathy" Schoonmaker Wright; his son, Richard Douglas "Doug" Wright, Jr. (Lauren) and their son, Holden Douglas; his daughter, Catherine "Katie" Newcomb Wright (Chris) and their son, Shackleford "Shack" Newcomb. His children will remember Doug for his patent wit, his gentle wisdom, his sound advice, and his faithful presence anywhere they were, doing anything they loved.

A Celebration of Life is planned at Dunwoody United Methodist Church, 1548 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, GA, 30338, on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 2:00 PM. A social gathering will follow.