Stephen A. Wright

Stephen A. Wright, 61, died unexpectedly Tuesday morning, May 15, 2012.

Steve lived his life to the fullest and was a good friend and husband, and a kind and gentle soul with many friends and colleagues. Steve leaves his wife of 37 years, Susan Wright; his mother, Gertrude Wright of South Windsor; his brother and sister-in-law, Howard and Sheila Wright of Ellington; sister and brother-in-law, Linda and John Troost of Yukon, Okla.; nephew, Timothy Wright, and his fiancée, Kim, and sons, Liam and Andre; niece, Chrissy Scannelli and husband, Joey, and daughters, Caleigh, Carlie, and son, Corbin; brothers-in-law, William Salamites of Andover and Mark Salamites of Meriden; brother-in-law, James and wife, Nancy Salamites of Meriden; and sister in law, Linda Salamites of Meriden.

Steve graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor of Science in economics/psychology and attended University of Hartford master's program. He started out in wedding photography, worked in Aero Space as fine gauge machinist and then in sales for 25 years, and the last six years with Leppert-Nutmeg Inc. as sales engineer. Steve and Sue traveled extensively throughout the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, visiting and photographing national parks/monuments; and traveled internationally starting in 2000 for their 25th anniversary, visiting France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, Egypt, and their favorite, Machu Picchu in Peru. Steve was an avid motorcyclist for 40 years, loved riding on the backroads of New England with Sue and his friends. He spends time in his treehouse or porch on the farm property, where Steve and Sue built their dream house in 1992. Steve loved the outdoors, maintaining the trails and building rock walls and structures on his farm, cutting and stacking wood, mowing his fields or plowing snow on his John Deere tractor, tending his vegetable and perennial gardens, iceboating, bicyling, antique cars, and kayaking. He was an avid photographer and talented fine cabinetmaker. Steve also loved to grill and was a budding chef, affectionately known as Chef E'tiem. He was an archaeology buff, a wine and chocolate (M&M's) aficionado. Steve loved going to Vermont to help Lee and Sarah build their home and tour the backroads of Vermont, as well as cruise to East Beach with Sue on their motorcycle. Steve will be missed at home by his wife and their cats, Otto and Red, and all the bird life he built birdhouses for and fed. "A bright and shining light has gone out," and Steve will be sorely missed by his many, many friends and family.

Special thanks to Hasna, Dr. DaSilva, Dr. Patterson, Dr. Alouidor, Dr. Gross, and Dr. Doben, and others who cared for Steve in the Baystate Medical Center intensive care unit and trauma center; Brian and Deirdre Scott and all of Steve's special co-workers and customers at Leppert-Nutmeg, and Dr. Andrew Salner, Donna Handley, and Sue's co-workers and many friends at Hartford Hospital.

Friends may join the family for memorial calling hours on Saturday, May 19, 2012, from 10 a.m. to noon at Burke-Fortin Funeral Home, 76 Prospect St., Rockville. Steve's final act was to give the gift of life through tissue donation. Please consider organ, tissue, and eye donation.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Protectors of Animals, 144 Main St., Unit O, East Hartford, CT 06118; Connecticut Humane Society, 701 Russell Road, Newington, CT 06111, and Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center, c/o Fund Development, Hartford Hospital, 80 Seymour St., Hartford, CT, or charity of their choice.

For online condolences or directions, please visit

www.pietrasfuneralhome.com