William H. “Bill” Wright Jr. of North Hill, Needham died on Wednesday July 20th at the Skilled Nursing Facility at North Hill. Bill was born on April 6,1915, at home in Wellesley Hills. He was a “plank owner” as he would say, in Wellesley until he was 83. Then he moved to North Hill in Needham where he died after a short decline at the age of 90. Bill attended the Wellesley Public Schools until he entered Philips Exeter Academy with the class of 1934. In 1938, he graduated from Harvard University and entered the Navy as an ensign. By the end of his five and half years of military service, he had risen to the rank of Commander. He was the Commanding Officer of two boats, a steel subchaser PC boat and a 300 ft. destroyer escort, the “USS Fryebarger”. During World War II, he sailed five seas; Atlantic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Pacific, and the China Sea. He aided in the Okinawa Invasion, the Korean repatriation by the Marines ( After running through Japanese floating mines), and Chin Wang Tau landing next to theWall of China. His Navy years were a high point of his life. He was most proud, of his happy 58 year marriage to Ruth G. Wright and the four wonderful children they raised. Through those busy years, he drove 40,000 miles a year as a wool top salesman, covering a wide territory from New England to the South, including the West Coast. After retirement, he served as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Wellesley Public Schools, greatly increasing the program. He also worked as Assistant Personnel Manager at Olken’s, the a sporting goods store in Wellesley. For fifty five years, Bill was active in the Unitarian Church of Wellesley Hills, always volunteering readily. His favorite post was chair of the House and Grounds Committee, overseeing the care of the church building. Through out his life. He loved sailing, from age 10 in Menhaunt, MA until recently on the coast of Maine. His children will always remember the marvelous, sometimes thrilling, adventures sailing on the “White Wing.” The family also spent many weekends skiing in Franconia, NH where their cabin would greet them with a frozen pump and a wood stove which refused to light without great billows of smoke. Bill’s wife Ruth (Grover) died in 1999. He is survived by his children; William H. “Terry” Wright III of Forestville ,CA., Carolyn W. Unger of Hamilton VA., Tom Wright of Cape Elizabeth , ME and Cindy P.W. Berlack of Franconia, NH. Also surviving him are eleven grandchildren he called “ grandies” , and four great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held The Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills, 309 Washington St. in Wellesley on Saturday September 17th at 2:00 PM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. In lieu of flowers , please send contributions to any of the following: The Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills, House and Grounds, 309 Washington St. Wellesley Hills , MA 02481;
Philips Exeter Academy, class of ‘34, Gilman House, 24 Main St. Exeter, MA 03833; or to Harvard Alumnae Association, Class of ‘38, 124 Mt. Auburn St. 6th Fl., Cambridge, MA 02138. Arrangements by the Eaton Funeral Home in Needham.