John W. Wright

John W. Wright, Sr., of Millington, passed away peacefully at his home Saturday, December 24 at the age of 73. John had been ill for the past 8 months & hospitalized 7 times before being admitted to a Rehab facility in Memphis.

John was born Saturday, August 20, 1949 in Frayser, Tennessee to Bidwell and Eloise Barber Wright. When John was `11 years old, his mother married Edward Gaskill Vaughan.

John attended Collerville High School, but left school to get a job so that he would not be a burden on his parents. In December 1967, he joined the U.S. Navy and got his GED. In 1970 he served aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard and was honorably discharged October 05, 1971.

Saturday, May 15, 1971, John married Sherry Johnson of Memphis. The wedding was held at the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and was officiated by the Rev. Don Johnson.

Upon returning to Memphis after his military service, he returned to the job that he had prior to joining the Navy- Memphis Furniture Company. With the assistance of his mother-in-law and one of her co-workers, John was hired by the Baptist Memorial Hospital in the security department. In 1974 he resigned from that position to work as a private investigator for Louis P. Chiozza, Jr., attorney at law. Later, John went to work for James Causey, attorney at law. As a result of an automobile accident in January 2013, John retired.

John was preceded in death by his dad, Bidwell Wright, his parents, Ed and Eloise Vaughan, his brother, Tommie Wright, his sister, Joyce Vaughan Smith, his in-laws, Bobby and Shirley Johnson, his sister-in-law Gayle Johnson, and in August of 2021, his son John W. Wright Jr.

Left to honor his memory is his wife, Sherry, his daughter and son-in-law, Amanda and David Bond, his sister, Terry Vaughan Lewellen (Johnny), his brother, Jerry Vaughan (Jane), his grandchildren, Kevin Wright and Carmen (Danial) Pedersen, and his great grandchildren, Alexis and Miles Pedersen.