William M. Wright Jr.

William (Bill) M. Wright, Jr.
William (Bill) M. Wright, Jr. died Dec. 30, 2018. An entire Memorial Day newspaper edition could have been filled with his remarkable life story spanning 93+ years and his service in the Navy, which he joined at the age of 18. Bill was proud of the accolades he received serving his country with distinction in the Navy during World War II on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Belleau Wood. While in the Pacific, the Belleau Wood was hit by a Kamikaze plane. Bill turned on the hangar sprinkler systems and dragged fallen shipmates from the fire. He tended their horrific wounds with bandages and morphine. Another night, while on midnight watch, he reported the Moon as "incoming" which earned him the first of several trips to the ship Captain's quarters. However, Bill and the Captain hit it off and shared a drink of OJ, Bill's without vodka. Another time, while painting the side of the aircraft carrier, he fell overboard. A tender had to be dispatched to save him from circling sharks. Ultimately, the U.S.S Belleau Wood earned 12 battle stars and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. He truly was one of the last of the "Greatest Generation", outliving most of his shipmates. He was proud to remember their service in the Navy in life and in death; and gave the graveside eulogy of a shipmate in 2015.
In 2011, he was the Grand Marshal of the Naugatuck Memorial Day Parade and spoke of his fallen comrades. But he also took the red, white and blue corsage intended for the mayor's wife for his own wife Margaret to wear. Margaret was a native San Franciscan who Bill met on a cable car where the U.S.S. Belleau Wood had gone for repairs. They were married by the Navy chaplain, and after the war, lived in Bridgeport where they raised four children. Margaret died five months before Bill.
He was born in Bridgeport in poverty during the depression, which led to a lifelong habit of being resourceful. He'd offer to remove "fire hazards" from his landscaping customers garages, with the items being repurposed to good use. His childhood poverty and inherent nature led him to always making the best of the situation. When taking his children camping at Squantz Pond, at the end of the day, he would send the kids to collect charcoal and ice dumped by the day picnickers, recycling long before it was cool. He was good natured. For example, he carried his daughter Marilyn a mile away to the flush toilets when taken ill while camping. He had a gentle mischievous streak, taking his son Bill, a picky eater, out for ice cream one day for breakfast.
Bill was a superb athlete, pitched for a baseball championship team, and was in the Bridgeport Post for being the star pitcher on the South End Royals when they won the 1942 championship. As a teenager, Bill had been scouted for proball but ended up enlisting in the War. After the war, he coached the Pony League teams, usually including a few less talented "smart alecky kids" to help keep them out of trouble.
He was generous and genuinely enjoyed hearing of others' hobbies and travels. Bill always rooted for the underdog and was a lifelong good sport. At every holiday visit with his daughter Marilyn and partner Boyd, and granddaughter Melody and partner Tim, he would gladly wear whatever costume decoration the holiday called for, even wearing plastic Easter Bunny barrettes in his hair when asked. Even in the month of his death, he continued his holiday tradition of buying poinsettia plants for family and neighbors including fun friend Lois Martin. Both he and his sister June were excellent dancers, and the two of them were known to celebrate weddings and holidays by dancing together late into the night.
Other than the War, Bill lived his entire life in Connecticut and worked at Singer Sewing Machine company, then retired from SNET. He had grown up sledding at Beardsley Park as a kid, then went sledding there with his kids, and 50 years later with his granddaughter Melody. Having lived in close proximity to NYC his entire life, he knew the city well and took his family to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes, Broadway musicals, the ice capades, the World's Fair, Yankee/Red Sox games, The Intrepid and even once to the Fulton fish market at 4 am for breakfast. For many years after retiring, he enjoyed flea markets, and was nicknamed "Dollar Bill". Although born in Bridgeport, he died residing in Milford on Walnut Beach with a spectacular view of the sound and Charles Island. In fact, when asked if he wanted a memorial service when he died, he replied "Nah, people who really know me will walk out there on the beach, knowing my Spirit is there."