Viola B. Wright

Russell Gardner Wright (“Salty”), 94, of Norwalk passed away on January 28, 2024 at Norwalk Hospital. He was born in Greenwich, CT on April 21, 1929 to the late Helen (Gardner) Wright. He grew up in Greenwich and graduated from Greenwich High School in 1947.

Viola Beeghly Wright, 98, of Norwalk passed away on August 2, 2024 at Cassena Care in Norwalk.  She was born in Stamford, CT on August 12, 1925 to the late Wood and Viola (Gass) Beeghly. She grew up in Stamford and graduated from Stamford High School in 1943.

Russ and Vi met in the Fall of 1947 while they were both working at Jones Motorola. They were married on March 31, 1951, shortly before Russ was drafted into the U.S. Army where he proudly served until his discharge in 1953, stationed in Maryland, Alabama and Okinawa. They then started a family and lived in Greenwich and Fairfield before buying a home on Silent Grove Court in Norwalk in 1965.

Their love for each other lasted over three-quarters of a century.  At their 50th wedding anniversary in 2001, Jim Lee said that Russ was an instigator, Vi was inquisitive, and they were both in love.  All of that was true.

Russ had his first boat ride when he was 3 days old and had a lifelong love of the sea. Russ could fix anything he put his mind to - he loved tinkering in the garage, and enjoyed boating, and anything with wheels - cars, motorcycles and tractors. Russ was a tool and die maker by trade, and retired from Norwalk Powdered Metals in 1994. He was also a HAM radio operator with call letters W1RGW, and made many good friends over the airwaves.  In more recent years, he was active with the Red Square Tractor Forum and always enjoyed going to tractor meets to see his buddies and show off his Wheel Horse tractors.

Vi was a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church in Stamford. Vi loved to read and passed this gift onto her daughters. She liked to do crossword puzzles (not always correctly) and to knit (we lost count of how many baby blankets she made over the years). She also enjoyed baking and trying out new recipes. Vi will especially be remembered for her crumb coffee cake.

They enjoyed traveling throughout New England, for many years towing a camping trailer.  They had fond memories of their honeymoon in the Berkshires, and always enjoyed seeing family in their travels - whether it was the Jensens in Stephentown NY, the Knowltons in Onset MA, Toodles Clifford and her family in VT, Linda and her family in Northern Ireland, or Nancy and her family in RI.  They loved family get togethers from the annual family picnic at Black Rock State Park in the 60s and 70s to holidays with Vi’s family.

Russ and Vi are survived by their daughters, Linda (George) Gilmore and Nancy Lee, their grandchildren - Maggi Gilmore, Helen Gilmore, Lizzie (Mark) Paul, and Peter “Mikey” (Darcie) Jenkins, Jr., and Nancy’s bonus children - Jay Lee and Wendi (Scott) Archambault. They are also survived by Nancy’s eight grandchildren - Kailey, Kass (Cody), Nate, Logan, Tony, Charlotte, Milo and Lucy, and Nancy’s three great-grandchildren - Lyla, Sawyer and Levi, the DeNardo/Palmer Point Marina family, and many nieces and nephews.

Russ was survived by his brothers, Don and Bill Wright, and was predeceased by his mother and sisters-in-law Ellen and Dot.

Vi was survived by her sisters, Blanche Berry and Sylvia Stunkel (and her husband Fred). She was predeceased by her parents, siblings Ed (Ella) Beeghly, Phyllis (Johnny) Kopec, Wood (Sophie) Beeghly and Mary (Carl) Jensen, and her brother-in-law, Bob Berry.

Russ and Vi were also predeceased by their son-in-law, Jim Lee, and their nephews, Jerry, Doug and Bruce Beeghly.

Linda and Nancy would like to thank their parents’ dear friends, their incredible neighbors on Silent Grove Court, dad’s homemakers (Michelle, Donna and Helen) from Family & Children’s Agency, dad’s visiting nurses (Nicole and Shaday), and their local nieces and nephews who helped dad stay safely in their beloved home, as well as the fourth floor staff at Cassena Care and the caregivers from Caring Hospice who cared for mom after dad was unable to continue to care for her at home.  A special thanks to the Norwalk Police, Fire and EMS for doing your jobs with kindness and compassion countless times over the last decade. Your help to our parents meant so much to them, and to us.

Burial at Fairfield Memorial Park, 230 Oaklawn Ave, Stamford, CT  on Saturday November 23, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity of your choosing.