Thomas J. Wright, age 91, of St. John, Ind., passed away Nov 9, 2014. He was born Feb. 16, 1923, in Ohio County, Ky., to Henry and Pearl Wright.
He served in the Army as a First Sergeant, 27th Armored Infantry, 9th Armored Division. He was captured at the Battle of the Bulge on Dec. 16, 1944, and was a POW until April 13, 1945. TJ married Bonnie Gentry on April 7, 1942, and they had over 69 years together before her death. They enjoyed traveling and going to the annual Army reunions.
After moving from farm life of Kentucky to Indiana, he worked for Sinclair Oil Refinery, Atlantic Richfield Refinery, ECI and retired from Amoco Refinery. He enjoyed volunteering for Youth for Christ and his church, the First Christian Church of Dyer. He was always willing to help his family or neighbors. He was generous with his money and with his time. He loved to garden and loved to give away his beautiful dahlias.
TJ is survived by his, daughter, Sharon (Joseph) Ford, of Griffith, Ind.; his son, Frank (Nancy) Wright, of Huntington Beach, Calif.; grandchildren, Cheryl Marsh, of Crown Point, Lisa Cyr, of Cedar Lake, Justin (Jayme) Wright and Laura Wright, of Huntington Beach; five great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; sister, Kathleen Brown, of Crown Point; sisters-in-law, Marguerite Wright, of Crown Point, and Nevaline Wright, of Beaver Dam, Ky.; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, Elmer, Oscar, Labie and Liston Wright.
Visitation will be Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Miller-Schapmire Funeral Home, 114 W. Walnut Street, Hartford. Interment will follow at Old Bethel Cemetery with Pastor Randy Payne officiating the burial service.