Elmer Edward Wright
Elmer Edward Wright was born in 1918, the "baby" of the Wrights of Hammondsport, NY.
"Bus" as the family called him, always had a guitar and a song ready anytime there was a get-together. Even after he and his wife, Louise Buckley, and 2 children (Dick and me) moved from Bath to Elmira in the early 50's, we would return to Bath or Hammondsport on Sundays for visits, usually with his guitar in tow. On the right above is "Sarge" in his uniform, when he served in World War II as a "demolition man" in France.
Other photos below show in the center below, becoming a new father with Dick. The family grew with the addition of Marilyn (shown with Dick and Louise on the left), and the family together in the backyard in Bath, New York (middle below). College students Dick and Marilyn are shown hugging on the couch at Grandma and Grandpa Wright's house in Hammondsport, where we enjoyed many family get-togethers on Sundays and Holidays.
"Bus" spent his professional years as a car salesman, but became known for his involvement in the Kiwanis Club, as the guiding light in formation of both Bath and Horseheads, NY branches. Enjoying his work with the young men in Key Club, he became a volunteer with the Chemung Drug Abuse Council, and chaired the Council's Adult Education Committee. Elmer spoke all over the country, having educated himself about drugs through his reading and training sessions, going into schools as a one-man drug education crusade. Many times, he was granted a class period to "rap" with the high school students.
Elmer died in 1972, after a battle with euremic poisoning and failed kidneys. He was buried in Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Hammondsport.
Above left is Dad with his guitar entertaining at a Kiwanis meeting. On the right is a photo of Elmer on the farm in Saskatchewan, where he was born. And below that is a photo of Little Elmer and his big sister Bea, as well as a photo of the siblings taken in the late 20s.
This page was last updated on 5/3/2022
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In the two photos above, Elmer is enjoying a cake in his honor for a birthday. And, as usual at any family get-together, he pulled out his guitar and began to sing. On the top right are my brother Dick and I with our parents, when we all got together to celebrate Mom and Dad's 25th wedding anniversary.
On the left is a picture of the new Grandpa and Grandma Wright with their first grandchild, Richard Wright II, called "Rick". Below that are Dick, Alice and Rick on one of their visits to Elmira, NY, to visit.
Above on the right is one of the last pictures taken of Dad with the family. I'm the blond with Dad's youngest grandson. We were together for the Holidays in 1970, the last we were to share with Elmer, as he passed away that next Summer.
Below on the right is one of our favorite photos of Elmer & Louise, my Mom and Dad, taken when he was still healthy, and they were traveling New England, doing Genealogy searches in churches, graveyards and libraries.
When Dad passed away, I picked up his research to continue studying our lineage. I still work on it today, and it helps make me feel like he is beside me, looking over my shoulder at my research.
Copyright 2008-2023 by Marilyn K. (Wright) Dayton
maredayt@yahoo.com
On the left is the photo taken on August 1994, at the Lake Lure Family Reunion. This is Elmer's family:
- front row, Catherine, Margie, Louise, Marilyn, Christina, and Marilyn's then husband Jan.
- back row, Rick, Armetta, Alice & Dick, and Marilyn's son Steven.
This was the last family reunion that Louise was able to make. She passed away six months after Christina's wedding in 1998.
On the right are cousins Christina and Rick, taken at Louise's wake on 12/98. She was interred 6 mo. later.
