Leo Wright

Leo Wright, 86, of Casey, Iowa, passed away, Monday, April 7, 2008, at Select Specialty Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.

Leo L Wright was born on January 13, 1922, in Audubon County, Iowa, the son of Uri Land and Eva Helen (Goochey) Wright.

He lived in Audubon County for a short time before his family moved to Guthrie County where he has lived the rest of his life. He attended grade school near North Branch and graduated from Menlo High School in Menlo, Iowa, in 1939.

On May 8, 1943, he was married to Joyce Titus in the Baptist Parsonage in Grant City, Missouri.

Leo farmed his entire life. He farmed near Menlo and Guthrie Center and moved to Casey in 1951, where they settled on the farm where he and Joyce now live. Leo also loved to garden and after his retirement from farming it became a passion. Everyone who knew him will remember his watermelons and beautiful flower gardens.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Casey, where he served as an officer at various times. Leo was also a member of the Casey Dance Club and the Snappy Steppers Square Dance Club. In addition to square dancing his favorite dances were the waltz, cha-cha and swing. He read voraciously: westerns, history,, and current events. He served on the school board, as a county trustee, and the director of the country school.

He and Joyce enjoyed traveling overseas and inside the United States. Whenever the opportunity would arise they would take off and go somewhere.

Leo is survived by his wife, Joyce of Casey, Iowa; his daughter, Renae Wedemeyer and her husband, Greg of Adair, Iowa; his sons, Robert Wright and his wife, Donna of Laurel, Delaware, Dickie Wright and his wife, Janet of Gilbert, Iowa, and Verle Wright and his wife, Joyce of Marshall, Virginia; 12 grandchildren: Aaron Wright and his wife, Shari of Woodbridge, Virginia, Eric Wright of Washington D.C., Daniel Wright and his wife, Cathy of Story City, Iowa, Robin Wright of Lawrenceville, Georgia, Jennifer Cattell of Des Moines, Iowa, Olivia Wedemeyer of Denver, Colorado, Tara Wedemeyer and her husband, Mike Walter of Syracuse, New York, Dax Wedemeyer of West Des Moines, Iowa, Seth Wedemeyer of Ames, Iowa, Benjamin Wright and his wife, Judi of Tipton, Iowa, Anthony Wright of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Corporal Matthew Wright of Jacksonville, North Carolina; six great-grandchildren: Daniel Wright of Ames, Iowa, Bryan Wright and his wife, Crystal of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Christina Wright of Story City, Iowa and her fiancé, Zachariah Dalaba of Ames, Iowa, Hannah Miles of Huntington, West Virginia, Joseph Wright of Lawrenceville, Georgia, and Elizabeth Wright of Tipton, Iowa; 9 stepgrandchildren; 7 step-great-grandchildren; 1 step great-great-grandchild; his brothers, Charles Wright and his wife, Thelma of Redmond, Oregon, Milo Wright and his wife, Reta of Warren, Idaho, and Dwayne "Bill" Wright and his wife, Beverly of Menlo, Iowa; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Uri and Eva Wright; daughter, Dailynn Cattell; six brothers: Kenneth, Don, Dale, Calvin Dee, Paul, and Alan; and three sisters, Roine Allen, Evalyn Tague and Essie Kinman.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 12, 2008, at the United Methodist Church in Casey, Iowa, with Reverend Lynn Gardner officiating.

Burial will be in the Dalmanutha Cemetery in Casey, Iowa.

Visitation will be from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, April 11, 2008, at the Hockenberry Funeral Home in Adair, with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Hockenberry Funeral Home in Adair and Casey is in charge of the arrangements.