Jackson Stowell Wright

Jackson Stowell Wright, an accomplished engineer, pioneering whitewater kayaker, and early innovator in kayak design and construction, passed away on February 8, 2026, while in hospice care at Stone Creek Rehabilitation Center in Asheville, North Carolina. He was 84. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Asheville Mortuary in Asheville.

Born on March 29, 1941, Wright was the son of noted journalist and author Theon Wright and Roxa Jackson Wright. His father later joined Trans World Airlines (TWA) and, in 1940, became director of public relations and publicity. Raised in an intellectually engaged household shaped by his father's work as both a foreign correspondent and communications executive, Wright developed a curiosity about the world and a lifelong appreciation for challenge and exploration.

Wright was part of the early days of computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, studying in the formative years of discipline. He often said that one of his professors was considered the first computer science professor, placing him at the forefront of a field still defining itself. He specialized in the computer/machine interface and spent time at Bell Labs and Information International Incorporated. He later worked as a computer programming contractor, continuing his technical work throughout his career.

Many people with scientific backgrounds were drawn to the fast-growing sport of whitewater kayaking. Wright was a member of the small group of pioneering paddlers who, in 1968, joined an expedition led by John Sweet to complete the first known descent of the Gauley River in West Virginia using hard boats-kayaks and closed canoes. At the time, the Gauley was largely unexplored and considered exceptionally dangerous; the expedition helped establish it as one of the most challenging and iconic whitewater rivers in the United States. He was also part of the first descent of the Lower Meadow River in 1972.

In 1971, Wright applied his engineering mindset to kayak design and fiberglass construction, becoming an early innovator in composite materials and manufacturing techniques. At a time when most kayaks were built from polyester resin and standard fiberglass, he experimented with different fiberglass weaves, invented his own epoxy formula from basic and hard-to-find chemicals, and developed new molding techniques to increase strength and durability. He referred to his creations as his "permanent boats." To demonstrate their resilience, he would famously strike them with 2x4s and even crowbars. Although Jack's last two permanent kayaks were lost in the aftermath of flooding from Hurricane Helene (Sept 2024), those kayaks remained in good paddling condition for 53 year, a testament to the boatbuilding techniques he developed. This construction skill extended to his homebuilt box truck which served as his home on wheels, which was the envy of all the paddlers who were all tenting at the time.

In the early 1970s, Wright lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which gave him easy access to the whitewater rivers of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia during a formative period in the sport's development. He later moved to Rochester, New York, where he worked for Kodak, continuing both his engineering career and his dedication to paddling.

For the last 35 years of his life, Wright made his home in Asheville, North Carolina. From there, he regularly paddled many of the classic rivers of the Southeast, including the French Broad, Nolichucky, and Chattooga, as well as numerous other regional runs that kept him closely connected to the whitewater community. His final paddling trip was the Middle Gauley (Mason's Branch to Woods Ferry) during the river's 50th anniversary celebration, a fitting return to waters that had helped define his life in the sport.

During his decades in Western North Carolina, Wright also became deeply involved in the regional contra dance community. He was a regular dancer and frequently participated in events hosted by The Old Farmers Ball in Asheville and the Harvest Moon Folk Society in Greenville County, South Carolina. Friends remember his steady presence on the dance floor and his appreciation for the music, rhythm, and fellowship of the tradition.

Outside of his professional accomplishments, those who knew Wright remember him as thoughtful, independent, and drawn to both intellectual and physical pursuits. He combined technical rigor with a spirit of adventure, equally at home in emerging computer laboratories, on remote stretches of river, or moving confidently across a dance floor.

He is survived by a daughter, Rebecca Wright of New York and a grandson, Alexander Caceres-Wright.

A celebration of Jackson Wright's life will be held in May or June 2026 in Friendsville, Maryland, in close proximity to the Youghiogheny River, where Wright's Hole was named in his honor-a place he loved and helped define through his early exploration and enduring connection to the sport.