Paul Vincent Wright

1922 - 2016

Paul Vincent Wright

March 15, 1922 - January 30, 2016

Paul Vincent Wright
Passed away on January 30, 2016 at his home surrounded by family.
Paul was born March 15, 1922 at Saint Elizabeth's Infant Hospital in San Francisco and was put in the care of the Daughters of Charity.
When Paul was two years old he was adopted by Lola Wright and moved to Santa Rosa, Ca. Lola was an independent woman. With her brother John Keegan (JK) Wright and their mother, Julia Keegan Wright, she owned a ranch called Riverlands in Guerneville where they raised prunes.
Climbing trees and swimming in the Russian River was an idyllic early childhood. When Lola suddenly passed away, Paul was then cared for by his grandmother, Julia. Paul attended St. Catherine's Academy in Benicia where he developed his lifelong dislike for tapioca pudding.
He soon returned home to his beloved Sonoma County and joined Lola's brother's family - JK and Marian Wright. JK and Marian embraced Paul as their own and raised him with his new family - sisters Margaret and Joan, and his brother John.
Paul, who went by the nickname of "Bush" (because of his unruly head of hair), attended St. Rose School and Santa Rosa High School where he excelled in sportsÂ… if not academics. He was a winner of the Blanket Award in basketball and excelled in tennis.
After high school, at the age of 19, Paul was working in San Francisco helping to construct the Union Square Garage. When Pearl Harbor was bombed, Paul went right down and signed up for a civilian construction group to ship out to Pearl Harbor. Ten days after the bombing Paul was in Hawaii rebuilding Pearl Harbor. Although he was a civilian, Paul worked 7 days a week 12 hours a day under Military command. However, he still found time to perfect his hula and embrace the Hawaiian Islands.
After a year at Pearl Harbor Paul was sent back to the Mainland as his induction papers were waiting at home. When Paul docked in San Francisco he went right over and signed on with the Merchant Marines. For the rest of the War Paul sailed the South Pacific as a merchant seaman - delivering men and supplies.
This started a lifelong love of travel and adventure. Paul traveled to all seven continents and to places that few have heard of. Whether going around the corner for ice cream or the ends of the earth, life was always an adventure.
When the War ended, Paul returned home to Sonoma County to marry his sweetheart Peggy (Margaret Daugherty). They raised a family that grew to six children. Paul joined his father JK in the post-war building boom. First building summer homes in the Guerneville area, and then homes and commercial buildings throughout the Redwood Empire. Early years included building Doyle Park School, Roseland School, St Mary's Elementary School in Ukiah and San Rosa City Schools Administration Building.
Paul teamed up with Ben Oretsky in 1957 to bid on and then built Santa Rosa's new Montgomery High School. This started the partnership known as Wright & Oretsky that lasted until 1969 when Ben retired. Ben and Paul remained good friends until Ben's recent passing. Wright & Oretsky built many projects throughout Northern California, including Sonoma State College's Stevenson Hall, Piner High School, El Molino High School, Petaluma Jr. High, St. Vincent's in Petaluma, Fort Bragg High School, additions and remodeling of Santa Rosa High School, San Francisco State's 16-story dormitory, buildings at San Francisco City College and Hastings College of Law, College of the Redwoods in Eureka, Humboldt State College Music Building, the circular Frank Lloyd Wright's Auditorium at Marin Civic Center, San Rafael City Hall, Lake County Courthouse and Jail, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, and the downtown flood control tunnel from E Street to Santa Rosa Avenue.
The 1970s saw Paul continue building as Paul V. Wright, Inc. with the help of Sid Lipton, who was a long time employee of Wright & Oretsky. Sid has remained a lifelong friend and later became founder (with Paul's eldest son Jay V. Wright) and the first president of Wright Contracting - the successor company of Paul V. Wright. Buildings completed in this time period included Humboldt State's Library and Jolly Giant Residence Halls, Barracks and Dining Facilities at Two Rock Coast Guard Station, Petaluma Valley Hospital, Sonoma Valley Hospital, Community Hospital of Sonoma County, Sonoma County Hall of Justice, Classrooms Office at Sonoma State University, Rancho Cotati High School Additions and Sonoma Valley High School Additions.
In the late 1970's Press Democrat named Paul the Â'Redwood Empire Master Builder'. In 2003 the North Coast Builders Exchange inducted Paul into the Construction Hall of Fame. Paul was one of the founders of St. Eugene's Church and Cardinal Newman High School. He was named Cardinal Newman Regent Emeritus in 1994 and received the John Henry Newman Award in 2009.
Paul's philanthropic giving was very important to him. He was proud that with humble beginnings that he could give back to this community in meaningful ways.
Paul retired in 1982 to continue his travels and perfect his golf game. However, in 1984, with the passing of his wife, Peggy, life changed.
Paul was so fortunate to meet and marry, in 1986, the former Marcie Shepard. Paul spent the rest of his life with his Â'bride', as he would like to say, golfing in the Desert, inspecting construction sites, visiting his beloved beach house , playing Dominos with family and friends (source of extra income) and just being around people - young and old.
Predeceased by his wife Margaret Jane and daughter Kathleen Mary; his parents, Marian and John Keegan Wright, siblings Margaret Henderson and John Wright;
Survived by his wife Marcella; sister Joan Forsell; children Jay (Kathy), Paul C., Tim (Helen), Michael (Katie), and John (Jane); Stepchildren Susan Ball (Brad), Marcie Lyons (John); and 20 Grandchildren and 15 Great Grandchildren.
Our deepest gratitude to his caregivers: Vicki Patterson, Kristy Herold, Reyna Rose, Maria Villalobos, Jamie Wynn and Karen Ornbaun.
Donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Cardinal Newman High School, 50 Ursuline Road, Santa Rosa, 95403: Catholic Charities, PO Box 4900, Santa Rosa Ca 95402. Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Foundation, 1154 Montgomery Drive, Suite 1, Santa Rosa, Ca, 95405 or Redwood Empire Food Bank, 3990 Brickway Blvd., Santa Rosa, 95403

Friends are invited to attend a Funeral Mass on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at St. Rose Catholic Church at 11 am. Tenth and A Streets, Santa Rosa, CA
A reception will follow Mass at Wild Oak Saddle Club. 550 White Oak Dr., Santa Rosa
The family will have a Private Interment at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Santa Rosa.