Wright Bolton III of New Bedford, age 89, died Friday, July 20, 2012, of cancer.
Born in New Bedford in 1923, he was the son of Wright Bolton, Jr and Gladys Oesting Bolton. He graduated from Punchard High School in Andover and Brown University in Providence, RI.
Wright spent his working life in the textile industry as a sales representative for the American Viscose Corp., a division of the FMC Corp. In later years Avtex Fibers, Inc., bought out American Viscose and he was given responsibility for all textile sales in New England until his retirement.
He was a member of the Textile Club of Boston, the Northern Textile Association, and the Southern New England Textile and Yarn Peddlers Association. In 2008 he was honored by this association for long and exceptional service to the textile industry and to the Yarn Peddlers Association of New England, which established an annual Wright Bolton III Award.
Golf was a lifelong passion. He began playing the game at the age of 5 when his father brought him to the Country Club of New Bedford for the first time. His membership of more than 70 years is the longest in the history of the country club during which time he played many tournaments with very dear lifelong friends.
He served in the U. S. Army Air Corps for three years during World War II.
He was a devoted father and is survived by his sons Peter Bolton, Philip Bolton, and Robert Bolton of New Bedford; two daughters, Diane Bolton and husband, Ralph Hickok of New Bedford, and Christine Penry and husband, Brian of Guilford, CT; two grandchildren, Jack and Johanna Penry of Guilford, CT; his sister-in-law, Judith Bolton of Dartmouth; and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Richard Bolton.
His Memorial Service will be held on Friday, July 27 at 10:30 AM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park Street, New Bedford. Interment will follow at Rural Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Thursday, July 26 from 4-7 PM. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.