Joseph Wright

Joseph Mitchell "Mitch" Wright Jr., longtime resident of Friendswood and the city's first and longest serving Chief of Police, passed peacefully from this life on January 8, 2016. He was 92 years old.

Born April 15, 1923 in Baltimore, Maryland to Joseph Mitchell Wright Sr. and Gladys Elinor Matthews, "Mitch" grew up in Baltimore graduating from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1941. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 and trained in Electrical Engineering and Radar Repair, serving in the Signal Corps as a Technical Sergeant until 1946. With his G.I. Bill he enrolled in The Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore majoring in Harmony/Composition and minoring in Keyboard. It was there that he met the woman who would be his wife, partner, best friend and other half for almost 66 years. He told of the first time he saw her coming down the spiral staircase of the Peabody Library and the immediate realization that this was the woman he was going to marry. He proposed to her on their second date and she said yes on their third. They were married on August 23, 1949.

Following his dream, Mitch turned down a promotion as an Electrician for GE and he and Artha, along with their young daughter, Artha Jo, hit the road to play music. They traveled around the Northeast and Midwest playing in nightclubs and ballrooms for several years before Mitch's music career brought them to Texas and a steady engagement at the Normandie Restaurant and then the International Club Lounge at the Shamrock Hilton in Houston. He settled his family in Friendswood and continued to travel and play music. Artha took a job as a school crossing guard in Friendswood which led to Mitch taking a position as the first paid police officer and later the very first Police Chief for the growing city. From there Mitch and Artha eventually became the foundation of the Friendswood Police Department, actually answering the police phone from their own home in the early days. Over the next 25 years, Chief Wright took the department from a one man operation to the modern, well-educated, well-equipped organization it is today. He truly loved Friendswood and was honored to serve the people of his adopted hometown.

Mitch was well-liked and well-respected in the Law Enforcement community and served on many Law Enforcement boards, committees and organizations throughout the Houston area and the State of Texas. He taught Criminal Justice courses at both College of the Mainland and Alvin Community College. He continued to play music as both a solo pianist and as a member of the Galveston Beach Band. He was a long standing member of the Friendswood Rotary Club, the American Federation of Musicians and the Friendswood Fine Arts Council. He was a charter member of Hope Lutheran Church in Friendswood.

He was a devoted husband and father, somehow managing to always be working yet always present at the same time. He worked up to 4 jobs and still managed to attend every concert, every open house, and every event his children were involved in. He was present in every possible way and modeled integrity, compassion, excellence and kindness in everything he did. He was the most capable yet humble man, skilled and knowledgeable in so many things, intelligent, well-spoken and funny. Everyone who met him and spent any time with him was changed for the better. He was simply extraordinary.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Artha T. Wright, parents, J.M. Sr. and Gladys Wright, brothers, George E. Wright and William C. Wright, and sister, Shirley Lenhardt. He is survived by his daughters, A.J. (Artha Jo) Beicker and husband Karl of Alvin, TX, Amy Weaver and husband, Phil of Pflugerville, TX and Beth Sharpe and husband, Walt of Friendswood, TX, nine grandchildren and ten great grandchildren as well as his brothers, Norment M. Wright and wife, Bernice of Cedar Falls, Iowa and David Wright of England.

Cremation has been performed according to his wishes.

A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, January 30, 2016 from 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. at the Jeter Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, 311 N. Friendswood Drive (FM 518), Friendswood, TX 77546, 281-992-7200. Anyone who wishes to pay their respects to the family is invited to come by at that time.

Condolences may be sent to the Wright family in care of Jeter Memorial Funeral Home at www.jeterfuneralhome.com.