Gary and I were great friends. He and I played baseball together. He was a great pitcher. He had a curve ball not too many of us could catch. His fast ball burned me up. But playing with him was a privilage. (We played together in Little League and Babe Bruth through our Senior year.)I was greatly saddened to hear of his passing.
I knew Gary since I was 7 years old. He was the smartest guy I've ever known. Here is a little story.. We were standing on the basketball court at the beginning of the third quarter of the Centerville game. Gary looks at me and says "Greene, there is 1091 people here" and later in the game they announced the attendance and he had hit it right on the nose. I looked at him and said "You're the smartest guy I've ever known!!" He was a great guy and I miss him
My gosh I knew Gary my entire life. I played at his house with his sisters for as many years as I can remember. He was one of the nicest, most considerate people I've ever known. I was so saddened to hear of his death. It must be true that the God claims the good ones first... he was one of the good ones.
I remember where I was when I learned of his death and it was a Christmas Party in early December, 2004. I was just sick. He was our attorney at the time of his death, and executor of our estates if we died together.
I have a Gary story and he wasn't even there. I was sitting at a FHS basketball game and my husband was (sub) announcing the game. I was sitting upstairs with Jack Adkins, Mike Brown, Mike Soergel and Kirk Minteer. We were having a good time. My little boy was 6 years old and he had been sitting with my husband on the bench; but he brought his scorecard up to me to hold it during half-time. (I think he also wanted money). I remember one of the guys saying, "Geez, another Gary Wright." I guess Gary kept score, when he wasn't participating or umpiring. I remember thinking, "Lord, I can only hope he's half of what Gary is!" Joel was never the star, but has the mind. He has played, coached and umped.
I watched Gary's nephew Rob run track for two years. It was interesting watching the image of Gary, only much taller and running distance. This was in 2000 and 2001.
Gary Wright was a son of Tom and Jeanne Hines Wright. He was a 1970 graduate of Fairborn high School where he was a three sport athlete for the Fairborn Flyers (baseball, cross country, basketball). He attended Miami University on a scholarship and was a pitcher for the Miami Redskins. In 1973 he was inducted into the Miami University Athletic Hall of Fame. He graduated magna cum laude from Miami in 1974.
After graduation he played baseball for the Kansas City Royals minor league system. Gary graduated with honros in 1978 with a juris doctorate from Ohio State University School of Law. He practiced law in Fairborn, OH, and continued to play ball with the "Legal Eagles" and was inducted in the Dayton Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986. Among the many organizations he served on the Fairborn Board of Education 1985-1994, serving as President in 1992, and was inducted into the Fairborn City Schools Hall of Honor in 2001.
June 15, 2009, Gary Wright received his Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame recognition posthumously. He was a basketball official for 30 years and officated nine state tournaments. When he died from injuries sustained in an auto accident, he took with him a lot things good...character, commitment, and an interesting background.
Sherman Patrick
Gary and I were great friends. He and I played baseball together. He was a great pitcher. He had a curve ball not too many of us could catch. His fast ball burned me up. But playing with him was a privilage. (We played together in Little League and Babe Bruth through our Senior year.)I was greatly saddened to hear of his passing.Steve Greene
I knew Gary since I was 7 years old. He was the smartest guy I've ever known. Here is a little story.. We were standing on the basketball court at the beginning of the third quarter of the Centerville game. Gary looks at me and says "Greene, there is 1091 people here" and later in the game they announced the attendance and he had hit it right on the nose. I looked at him and said "You're the smartest guy I've ever known!!" He was a great guy and I miss himDeborah Fair (McKenzie)
My gosh I knew Gary my entire life. I played at his house with his sisters for as many years as I can remember. He was one of the nicest, most considerate people I've ever known. I was so saddened to hear of his death. It must be true that the God claims the good ones first... he was one of the good ones.Denise Kline (Derge ('71))
I remember where I was when I learned of his death and it was a Christmas Party in early December, 2004. I was just sick. He was our attorney at the time of his death, and executor of our estates if we died together.
I have a Gary story and he wasn't even there. I was sitting at a FHS basketball game and my husband was (sub) announcing the game. I was sitting upstairs with Jack Adkins, Mike Brown, Mike Soergel and Kirk Minteer. We were having a good time. My little boy was 6 years old and he had been sitting with my husband on the bench; but he brought his scorecard up to me to hold it during half-time. (I think he also wanted money). I remember one of the guys saying, "Geez, another Gary Wright." I guess Gary kept score, when he wasn't participating or umpiring. I remember thinking, "Lord, I can only hope he's half of what Gary is!" Joel was never the star, but has the mind. He has played, coached and umped.
I watched Gary's nephew Rob run track for two years. It was interesting watching the image of Gary, only much taller and running distance. This was in 2000 and 2001.
Michael Falleur
Gary's younger sister, Karen, is fighting serious health issues of her own right now. Please keep her in your prayers.
Rebecca J Adams
Gary Evan Wright
From Findagrave memorial and ohssa.org:
Birth Nov 7, 1952, Ohio
Death Dec 16, 2004, Columbus, OH
Gary Wright was a son of Tom and Jeanne Hines Wright. He was a 1970 graduate of Fairborn high School where he was a three sport athlete for the Fairborn Flyers (baseball, cross country, basketball). He attended Miami University on a scholarship and was a pitcher for the Miami Redskins. In 1973 he was inducted into the Miami University Athletic Hall of Fame. He graduated magna cum laude from Miami in 1974.
After graduation he played baseball for the Kansas City Royals minor league system. Gary graduated with honros in 1978 with a juris doctorate from Ohio State University School of Law. He practiced law in Fairborn, OH, and continued to play ball with the "Legal Eagles" and was inducted in the Dayton Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986. Among the many organizations he served on the Fairborn Board of Education 1985-1994, serving as President in 1992, and was inducted into the Fairborn City Schools Hall of Honor in 2001.
June 15, 2009, Gary Wright received his Ohio High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame recognition posthumously. He was a basketball official for 30 years and officated nine state tournaments. When he died from injuries sustained in an auto accident, he took with him a lot things good...character, commitment, and an interesting background.
Jack Mattachione
Well said Rebecca Adams. He was a good person and did many good things.