Robert Wright

Robert O. Wright, 101 years old passed away on March 24, 2025 at the Oak Park long term care facility in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Bob was born in Westfield, NJ on January 9, 1924 to Henry Ovington Wright and Marian Corbett Wright. An Eagle Scout, he and his Dad were very active in the Boy Scouts for many years. He graduated from the Suffern NY high school in 1942 and planned on following his father in engineering at Lehigh that fall. However, when a NY State scholarship was available; his father advised him that attending Clarkson College in Potsdam NY was a more prudent choice. Bob withdrew from Lehigh and took the train to Clarkson. At the end of 1942, Bob decided that he should enlist in the Army Air Force and reported in Jan 1943. He served at various locations around the United States until discharged as a 2nd Lieutenant in the spring of 1946. Bob immediately returned to Clarkson where he was inducted into Tau Beta Pi and graduated with an Electrical Engineering degree in 1947. He continued his education at Cornell Law School where he graduated with a JD degree in 1950. Cornell changed it to a Doctor of Law degree in 1969.

Bob married State Teachers Potsdam graduate Jean Hoffman in 1949 in Johnstown NY and they moved to New York City to begin his law career in 1950. After a couple of years in Harrison NY, Bob and Jean moved the family to Rome NY where for over twenty years they were very active in the community with Scouting, Twigs, Community Chorus, PEO, the Presbyterian Church and Clarkson Alumni. Bob always had a project whether it was the perennial vegetable garden, working on the boat, remodeling or later tackling the "to do list" when visiting their children Holly or Paul. They spent many years boating on the St Lawrence River with friends from Rome in the ROWBoat. In 1971 they moved from Rome down the Mohawk Valley to Little Falls, where they were active with the church and the hospital board as well. Bob and Jean were married for 50 + years and together had two children, Paul and Holly, six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Holidays were spent with family, both the Wrights and the Hoffmans. They enjoyed vacations at Cape Hatteras with Paul's family, weeks at Cape Cod with Holly's family and time on the Little Falls farm with grandchildren.

Bob had a varied career. First passing the Bar Exam in 1950 and then again in the 1990's, He practiced patent Law in both Utica and Syracuse NY. He was a military electronics sales representative for Pickard & Burns, Assistant Area Manager at Hoffman Laboratories, Director Contracts Management for General Dynamics Electronics, Marketing Manager at Sylvania Electronics System. He then served as president of Williams Steel Wheel and Rim Corp, vice president of H.P. Snyder Manufacturing Co., president of Advanced Terminals Inc., and president of Wright Yacht Co. Later he was Marketing Manager for Galsen & Galsen P.C., an attorney with Wall & Roehrig and then returned to his own private patent law practice. He filed his last patent application in 2020.

Clarkson College was always an important part of Bob's life. He was an Alumni chapter volunteer, admissions volunteer, phonathon organizer and volunteer. He was president of the Alumni association in 1961-62, Trustee from 1967-72 and received the Golden Knight award in 1972. Bob's gifts supported the Clarkson Fund, the library, the construction of the Cheel Center and Snell Hall on the Hill. He attended many Alumni Reunions with his wife Jean including the graduation of his son 25 years after his own graduation. His also attend his 50th when his son was there for the 25th, his 65th, 70th, 74th and his 75th on the occasion of his son's 50th. Bob and Jean were very proud that Paul and Holly continued the "North Country" tradition of going to College in the Potsdam - Canton area.

In 1997 Bob and Jean retired to Palm Coast FL where they were active in the Presbyterian Church. After Jean passed away in 2000, Bob and Eleanor Starr shared a home together for 15 years in Palm Coast and spent summers on the "Neck" in Surry Maine. In his late 80's he redid the heating system and built a second floor bathroom in the Maine house. In Maine Bob was "adopted" by Eleanor's four children. They volunteered at the library, sang in the church choirs & community chorus, hiked around Bar Harbor and tended Eleanor's flowers. In 2021 Bob moved from Palm Coast to Palm Harbor FL to be near family. Predeceased by his sister, Janet Nelson, Bob is survived by brother Bruce Wright, son Paul Wright, daughter Holly Maurer, several nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.