Mary While Wright

1933 - 2025

Mary While Wright

June 28, 1933 - February 22, 2025

BLOOMINGTON - Mary Elizabeth While Wright, 91, of Bloomington, Ill. passed away peacefully on February 22, 2025, after a long battle with Alzheimer's dementia. Surrounded by her loved ones, she left this world into the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, February 27 at Epiphany Catholic Church in Normal, Ill. with Father David Richardson officiating. The visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday at the church and her burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Bloomington.

Mary was born June 28, 1933, in Bloomington, the daughter of James "Dutch" and Francis Schroeder While. She married William "Bill" Wright on June 19, 1956, in Bloomington and had four children.

Mary is survived by two sons, Michael (Diane) Wright of Bloomington, Ill. and Mark Wright of Sedona, Ariz.; two daughters, Laurie (John) Moore of Carpinteria, Calif. and Amy Wright of Normal, Ill.; six grandchildren, Neil (Melissa) Wright of Belvidere, Ill., Nick (Erica) Wright of Mackinaw, Ill., Hailey (Mike) Grace of Bloomington, Ill., Miles Wright of Bloomington, Ill., Lauren (Dustin) Larrieu of Carpinteria, Calif., and Ryan Moore of Manhattan Beach, Calif..; eight great-grandchildren, Mason and Mya Wright, Carson and Frankie Wright, Maddox and Kiley Grace, Reagan Wright, and James Larrieu; one sister, Martha (Carl) Kerner of Bloomington, Ill.., and one sister-in-law Jo (Tom) While of Dewitt, Ill.

She was preceded in death by her mother; father; husband; and five brothers, Frederick "Bucky" While, James "Jim" (Charlene) While, Robert "Bob" (Peggy) While, Thomas "Tom" (Jo) While, and Charles "Chuck" (Myrna) While.

Mary graduated from St. Mary's High School in Bloomington. She worked as a bookkeeper at the Steak 'n Shake home office before she married Bill and started a family. She was a long-time member of Epiphany Catholic Church as well as St. Patrick Church of Merna and was active in Cursillo for many years. Mary was a consummate caretaker and passionate advocate for children with special needs in our community and the Unit 5 School District. She was a founding member of Homes of Hope Normal, IL. In 1995, Homes of Hope opened their first home, a Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA), giving people the chance to have independence, a home to call their own, community inclusion options, and much more. She was an owner of Uncle Bill's Self-Storage Normal, Ill. Mary was a woman of unwavering faith who found joy in prayer, strength in scripture, and peace in the promises of eternal life.

"Our labor here is brief, but the reward is eternal." St. Clare of Assisi

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Homes of Hope (https://g.co/kgs/vafJhwj) 705 E Lincoln St. Suite 313 Normal, IL 61761.

To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com.