Donald Wright

Donald “Don” Wright, 91, of Jefferson died Sunday, May 15, 2016.

A services of remembrance will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 20 at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson with Rev. Sheldon Henderson of Central Christian Church officiating. Casket bearers will be Dale Betts, Rob Walker, Chad Borst, Chris Borst, Sherwood Hoyle and Kent Dzuris. “In The Garden” and “The Old Rugged Cross” will be sung by Gary Haupert, accompanied by John Larson. Interment will be at the Jefferson Cemetery with military graveside rites performed by Jefferson V.F.W. Post 9599 and the United States Navy Honor Guard. The family will greet friends Thursday, May 19 at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home from 5 - 7 p.m.

Donald (Don) Dean Wright was born in a house in Northwest Jefferson October 7, 1924 to Ira and Mabel Dunham Wright. He was delivered by Bessie (Seaman) Kennett who some 24 years later would become his mother-in-law. Don left us the morning of May 15, 2016 at Regency Park in Jefferson, where he had resided since October 2015, at the age of 91.

Don grew up in Jefferson. In 1943 Don enlisted in the Unites States Navy and was Honorably discharged on March 8, 1946. While in the Navy, Don was an anti-aircraft gunner on the aircraft carrier USS Tulagi (CVE-72) a Casablanca class escort carrier. Don was united in marriage to Juanita Kennett on February 14, 1949. They were married for 65 years at the time of Juanita’s passing on April 7, 2014. They were the parents of three children: Connie, Neil and Kevin. The couple made their home in Jefferson, living many years on a farm south of town where they raised horses, cattle and hogs.  After retirement, they spent 13 winters in Las Vegas and 27 summers at Lake Okoboji.

Don worked for a variety of businesses in the Jefferson area over the years including Tesch’s Oil and Schaal’s and owned and operated Wright’s Mill and the Montgomery Ward Store/Agency and worked his final ten years before retirement for the State Of Iowa Department Of Transportation.

Throughout his life Don had many loves: he loved his family, horses, fishing and travel.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Ira and Mabel; his wife, Juanita; son-in-law, Jr. Young; brother, Ray Wright and his wife, Edna; brother, Earl Wright and his wife, Velma; an infant brother, Baby Brother; sister, Eva Walker and her husband Loren; sister, Edna Saba and her husband Saba; sister, Irma Price and her husband Chet; sister, Helen Broders and her husband Jack; brother, Claude Wright; sister, Ruth Malloy and her husband Dick; and sister, Doris Hawn and her husband Jack.  

He is survived by children: Connie Young of Jefferson, Neil (Jolene) Wright of Panora and Kevin Wright of Mankato, Minn.; three grandchildren: Nicole (Eric) Campbell, Joell (Buddy) Herrick and Danny (Gina) Cunningham; seven great grandchildren: Grant Campbell, Gaven Campbell, Gage Campbell, Sydney Herrick, Halle Herrick, Skylar Cunningham and Eliza Cunningham; brother-in-law, Don Butler of Coggon, Iowa; nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Memorials are suggested to the Central Christian Church or the Greene County Schools.