Aleda Wright

A beautiful woman with a generous heart, Aleda Campbell Wright of Saratoga Springs and Lake George, New York, passed away peacefully on September 14th, 2025 surrounded by her loving family.

She was born on April 3, 1941 in Schenectady, New York to Henry DeForest Wright and Adeline Hall Campbell.

Aleda had fond memories of growing up in the GE Plot in Schenectady and skipping and riding her bike through the neighborhood as a child. She attended Elmer Avenue Elementary School, Nott Terrace High School, and St. Agnes School in Troy, before going on to attend La Châtelaine Finishing School in Gstaad, Switzerland.

She met her husband G. Thomas Moynihan, Jr. while growing up on Lake George. They married in 1961 and started a family of three children, Christian, Heather, and Hilary. She later married Robert S. Birk and had her fourth child, Whitney.

She loved being a grandparent to her seven grandchildren: Wyatt and Lansing Ward, Jack and Grace Sirianni, and Noah, Kaleigh and Alida Lawlor.

Aleda was a member of the Board of Directors of SI Group, Inc. (formerly Schenectady International), a manufacturing firm founded by her grandfather, W. Howard Wright. The company was subsequently grown into a global conglomerate by her father Henry, with 20 plants in over 14 countries.

Every year from May through October Aleda enjoyed being at her home on Lake George. The lake always held a dear place in her heart, and she boated often to the Lake George Club where she was a lifelong member. She crewed aboard her husband Bob's J24 sailboat dubbed "Wind Machine" at the Club for many years.

Everyone who knew Aleda was aware of how much she loved interior design and decorating her homes. Her passion was making her spaces elegant, sophisticated, and inviting. Aleda loved spending time at her apartments at The Carlyle and The Plaza in New York City, where she showcased her interior design talents.

Aleda will always be remembered for her extraordinary generosity and the way she would lift others up when they were down. She was known for her extravagant tipping of everyone who crossed her path. Her philanthropic legacy includes supporting numerous research programs at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University and various animal welfare organizations. She always had a soft spot for furry friends, dogs and cats alike; treating each one like the family member they were. She returned the love she received from her pets in the form of generous support for various ASPCA's and other organizations that advocate for animal welfare.

Aleda always had a smile for everyone she met, and had a warm and caring personality. She was mischievously funny and had a fabulous sense of humor. She loved to elicit big belly laughs from all those around her.

She will be greatly missed by her family and friends every day. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all those who loved her.

Aleda was preceded in death by her sister, Adeline Graham, and is survived by her four children, Christian Moynihan (Laurie), Heather Ward (Jason) , Hilary Moynihan, Whitney Lawlor (Scott), and her seven grandchildren, Wyatt and Lansing Ward, Jack and Grace Sirianni, and Noah, Kaleigh and Alida Lawlor.

A memorial service to celebrate Aleda Campbell Wright's life will be held on Tuesday, September 23rd from 4:00pm-7:00pm at the Daly Funeral Home in Schenectady. A family-only ceremony will follow on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to the Animal Protective Foundation in Schenectady (https://www.animalprotective.org/), a worthy cause very close to Aleda's heart.