Obituary for Charles Thomas Wright Jr.
Charles Thomas Wright, Jr., age 77, of Lake Lure, passed away on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at Hospice House in Forest City, NC. He was born October 31, 1943 to the late Charles Thomas Wright and Sara Whiteside in Rutherfordton, NC.
“CT”, as he was affectionately known, graduated from Broughton High School in Raleigh, NC, where he met the love of his life and soon to be wife, Becky Ann Gaddy. “CT” went on to graduate from Duke University on a Navy ROTC scholarship. Never a man to waste time, in June of 1965 he graduated from Duke on a Friday, was married on Saturday and reported for naval flight training in Pensacola, FL on Monday.
While in the Navy, “CT” earned the call sign “Lightning” for his strong, southern, deliberate speech on the radio as an LSO. Serving in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic during his time in the Navy, he would come to enjoy aviation and would make it his career after his discharge from service. He went on to work for Delta Airlines in 1970 and retired after 33 years of flying commercial passenger jets.
After moving back to the family homeplace in Rutherford County in 1995, “CT” served on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity, as well as various committees at First United Methodist Church of Rutherfordton. He was chairman of the Men’s Breakfast group at FUMC and enjoyed playing golf as much as possible. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, “CT” enjoyed walking the family land and living in what he called “God’s Country”, referring to the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“CT” and his wife of 56 years, Becky Ann Gaddy, have 2 children, Stephen Charles Wright and wife, Alice Hubbard Wright (of Rutherfordton), and Laura Ann Wrobel and husband, Alan Edward Wrobel (of Raleigh), and 4 granddaughters; Sara Taylor Wright, Beverly Suzanne Wrobel, Sara Marion Wrobel and Ashlee Grace Wrobel.
Funeral services will be held 2PM Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at First United Methodist in Rutherfordton with Dr. In- Yong Lee officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday, June 1, 2021 from 5 until 7 PM at Crowe’s Mortuary in Rutherfordton.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 264 N Main Street, Rutherfordton, NC 28139 or Habitat for Humanity, 269 W Main Street, Forest City, NC 28043.
“CT”, as he was affectionately known, graduated from Broughton High School in Raleigh, NC, where he met the love of his life and soon to be wife, Becky Ann Gaddy. “CT” went on to graduate from Duke University on a Navy ROTC scholarship. Never a man to waste time, in June of 1965 he graduated from Duke on a Friday, was married on Saturday and reported for naval flight training in Pensacola, FL on Monday.
While in the Navy, “CT” earned the call sign “Lightning” for his strong, southern, deliberate speech on the radio as an LSO. Serving in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic during his time in the Navy, he would come to enjoy aviation and would make it his career after his discharge from service. He went on to work for Delta Airlines in 1970 and retired after 33 years of flying commercial passenger jets.
After moving back to the family homeplace in Rutherford County in 1995, “CT” served on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity, as well as various committees at First United Methodist Church of Rutherfordton. He was chairman of the Men’s Breakfast group at FUMC and enjoyed playing golf as much as possible. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, “CT” enjoyed walking the family land and living in what he called “God’s Country”, referring to the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“CT” and his wife of 56 years, Becky Ann Gaddy, have 2 children, Stephen Charles Wright and wife, Alice Hubbard Wright (of Rutherfordton), and Laura Ann Wrobel and husband, Alan Edward Wrobel (of Raleigh), and 4 granddaughters; Sara Taylor Wright, Beverly Suzanne Wrobel, Sara Marion Wrobel and Ashlee Grace Wrobel.
Funeral services will be held 2PM Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at First United Methodist in Rutherfordton with Dr. In- Yong Lee officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday, June 1, 2021 from 5 until 7 PM at Crowe’s Mortuary in Rutherfordton.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 264 N Main Street, Rutherfordton, NC 28139 or Habitat for Humanity, 269 W Main Street, Forest City, NC 28043.