OBITUARIES

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RECENT OBITUARIES

•  Olney Arusta Wright (1922 - 2012)

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Olney Arusta Wright, of Cocoa Beach, born August 18, 1922 passed away March 29, 2012. Nearly 2500 years ago Solomon wrote, "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." If ever a woman lived up to these words, it was the one known to her friends as "Rusty."

She grew up in Enterprise, AL, where she was a standout tennis player, with a love for sports and all things outdoors, which was a passion she carried throughout her life (we even spoke of skydiving on her 90th birthday).

In 1946, she met and married the "love of her life" William Wright and after his retirement from the Navy, and job offer from NASA, they moved to Cocoa Beach, FL in 1956. There they raised their two sons, Billy and Eric.

They then enjoyed a retirement that spanned over 30 years, traveling the world, adding 100's of birds to their life-list, reading, playing golf and serving their Lord and His people.

She will be missed by her sons, Bill Wright, Eric and Susan Wright; grandchildren, Logan, Oceana, John William, Quentin and Eric; great grandchild, Bauer.

A graveside memorial service will take place April 5, 2012 at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL. In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Oceanside Church of Christ.

Published in FLORIDA TODAY on April 3, 2012

Jim Riley added the following to Mrs. Wright's obituary on 04/04/2012:

Olney Arusta Wright affectionately known to all as 'Rusty' passed away on 29 March 2012. Her Obit is posted in Florida Today on 3 Apr 2012. Her Obit is simple but there is much more about her death than is included in the Obit.

Olney Arusta Whatley Wright, widow of Medal of Honor winner, William Woodham Wright, Sr., was unloading her grocery cart in the parking lot of the Patrick AFB Commissary on 29 March 2012. A car struck her grocery cart knocking Rusty to the pavement. She was rushed to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne Florida and died while being prepped for surgery.

There was no funeral service for her due to another tragedy in the family. Quentin Wright, a grandson in Tennessee went to the Airport to pick up 'Logan Wright' a granddaughter. While returning home in a violent rainstorm Quentin lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree killing Logan. Quentin was seriously injured but is now out of the hospital and recovering at home. These tragedies have devastated the families and they will take a long time to heal.

Rusty was a personal friend and a fellow Christian of many years and her Church family and friends are grieving over these events.

•  Karen Lynn Walker

Karen Lynn Walker 62 of Harvest Alabama passed away on Saturday February 5, 2011 at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham Alabama. Survivors include her husband of 38 years, Joe J. Walker, two daughters, Teri Neiland and husband Bill of Meridianville and Tiffany Davis and husband Stevan of Madison; one son, Jonathan Walker of Huntsville; four grandchildren,Clay, Callie, Nicalos, and Noah; one brother, Larry Taormina and wife Janice of Huntsville; and her parents, John and Edna Riley Taormina. A life celebration gathering will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. A private burial is planned at Maple Hill Cemetery.

Karen Lynn Walker-Edna Gloria Riley-John Hardy Riley- Laura Nellie Riley-Emanuel Riley-Edward Riley-John Riley, Sr.

• William Woodham Wright, Sr.

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William Wright, 92, finished his race and received his crown on Friday, September 3, 2010. He was born in Hartford, AL in 1918. With a lifelong love of travel and exploration he joined the Navy and marched in FDR's 2nd inaugural parade. Then he was stationed at Pearl Harbor, surviving the "Day of Infamy," aboard the USS Vestal moored next to the USS Arizona.
From there he served with a flotilla of PT Boats, the same one made famous by JFK's PT109. He met his wife of 64 years, Rusty, and married in 1946 and then was back in the fray of the Korean War. His career took an important turn as a part of the team launching the Navy's early ballistic missile, the "Regulas".
That led to an interview with Dr. Debus and a job with what became NASA after retiring. In 1958 they launched our first satellite Explorer 1 and then was selected for "Operation Hardtack," which launched and detonated a nuclear warhead in the atmosphere over the Pacific.
Back in Cape Canaveral, and then KSC, their team put men into space in the Mercury program and then on the moon with Apollo. From 1956 to 1977 he wasn't just an observer of history, but a participant.
All this along with his love for his wife and family, his unquestioned goodness, his unwavering faith and his passion for sailing and birding was what made "The Greatest Generation" great.
He is survived by his wife, Rusty; his two sons, Bill and Eric and his wife Susan; grandchildren, Eric and Eva, John William and Labri, Quentin and Nadine, Logan and Oceana. His first great grandchild is due in December.
Memorial Services will be at Oceanside Church of Christ, Tuesday September 7th at 4:30 pm.

 

Published in FLORIDA TODAY on September 5, 2010

 

For those of you that might be interested, my cousin Robert Earl Woodham passed away on August 2, 2009. Here is his obituary from The Post Searchlight, Bainbridge, Ga. Clayton Logue posted this on the Woodham Family Genealogy Forum.

• Robert Woodham September 24, 1932 - August 2, 2009
  The late Robert Earl Woodham, 69, of Columbus, Ga., was interred Thursday, Aug. 6, at East Porterdale Cemetery in Columbus.  Born on Sept. 24, 1939, in Seminole County, Ga., Mr. Woodham died on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009, at his residence.  Mr. Woodham was a 1957 graduate of Bainbridge High School, where he was a member of the marching band. He later attended West Georgia College, majoring in journalism. Mr. Woodham began his writing career with The Atlanta Journal. He was especially dedicated to researching his family background, which eventually became his life-long passion.
  Mr. Woodham is survived by his three siblings; Janet Owens and Donnie Parrish of Columbus, Ga., and R. Harold Parrish Jr. of Forsyth, Ga.

         McMullen Funeral Home in Columbus was in charge of funeral arrangements.

• Esker Dell "EK" Riley (submitted by Judi Hayes, 01/06/2010)

Posted by: ChadWhisnant
Date: Jan 05 2010 2:16 PM

Mr. Esker Dell “EK” Riley of the Lytle Community, passed away on Monday, January 4, 2010.  He was 96.  Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 6, 2010 in the Chapel of Pittman Funeral Home in Geneva with Rev. Elbert Smith officiating.  Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens with Pittman Funeral Home of Geneva directing.  The family will receive friends prior to the service Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. until service time.

Mr. Riley was born in Geneva County on December 10, 1913 to the late Albert and Anzelli Riley.  He was raised in the Echo Community.  He served in the US Army during WWII.  Prior to retirement, he owned and operated Riley Butcher Pen for many years.  Preceding him in death were three sisters, Mae Hicks, Mamie Roney and Leo Anderson; and two brothers, Odis Riley and Louie Riley.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jessie Riley; daughter, Pam Barnes of La Grange, GA; son-in-law, Albert Barnes of Samson; two grandsons, Chad Barnes of Madison, WI and Alex Barnes of Columbus, GA; and many nieces and nephews.

 

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