Dec. 31, 1930 — Jan. 23, 2016

Jack Dwayne Wright, 85, of Niles, Michigan died at 3:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, at The Chalet of Niles, Michigan following a brief illness.

He was born on Dec. 31, 1930, in Berrien Springs, Michigan to Ralph Paul and Gola Mae (Hile) Wright. He was graduated from Berrien Springs High School and entered military service in the United States Army. He served most of his tour on foreign posts, completed an additional tour with the Army Reserve in Dowagiac, Michigan, and was discharged as a Veteran of the Korean Conflict. He then began a career at the former Niles plant of Simplicity Pattern Company in its paper mill, and had completed forty years when he retired in 1993.

Jack was a member of the Niles Westside Seventh-day Adventist Church. He had always enjoyed stock-car racing, often working in the shop to help maintain and repair race cars, and kept a workshop at home where he worked on cars and other creative mechanical tinkering. He had a very dry and intense sense of humor which he enjoyed inflicting on — and passing to ‘ his daughters and their children. He also enjoyed going to yard sales, with interesting opinions of the value of various items.

On June 19, 1952, in Niles he married the former Joan Louetta Cummings with whom he celebrated the 51st anniversary of their wedding prior to her death on July 22, 2003. They always enjoyed the memory of their first meeting — at a stoplight on Main Street — with engines “revving” and a difference of opinion about who might have arrived at the next stoplight first. He was also preceded in death by a daughter, Katherine Luetta Yoder on Aug. 5, 2009, and by his siblings, Francis Wright, James Wright, Aleen Ryan, Martha Wright, and Esther Miller.

Surviving family includes daughters Pam Wright of Niles and Lois (Clifford) Yoder of Edwardsburg, Michigan; Kathy’s husband, Jim Yoder of Buchanan; grandchildren, Kristina Yoder, Keith Yoder, Eugene (Nancy) Fletcher, Jennifer Fletcher, Malissa Yoder, and Emilee Yoder; three great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral for Jack Wright will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016, at the Niles Westside Seventh-day Adventist Church with Pastor Darrel le Roux of the church officiating. Committal will follow at Mission Hills and will conclude with the Veteran’s Flag presentation and “Taps” by the United States Army Honor Guard.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Monday at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles from 6 until 8 p.m. Contributions in memory of Jack may be made to the Pregnancy Care Center of Niles.

www.halbritterfunerals.com