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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The passing of former Texas state representative |
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John Robert Wright Jr. on December 20, 2020, at the age of 92 |
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concluded a remarkable life of service to the Grand Prairie |
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community and to the State of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on December 20, 1928, to John Robert Wright and |
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Anne Taylor Wright, John Robert Wright Jr. was raised in Dallas with |
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the companionship of his two siblings, Merton and Nell; he |
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graduated from Crozier Tech High School in 1947 and from North Texas |
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State College in 1951, then spent a summer playing minor league |
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baseball before beginning studies at The University of Texas at |
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Austin School of Law; he was admitted to the bar in 1954 and began |
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his career as a lawyer in Grand Prairie; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Wright's interest in politics led him to |
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successfully run for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives in |
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1964; over the course of three terms at the State Capitol, from 1965 |
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until 1971, he authored and passed a number of bills, including |
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legislation related to dyslexia testing and education that was |
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inspired by his nephew's efforts to cope with a learning disorder; |
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moreover, he was strongly opposed to the imposition of a sales tax |
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on groceries, and he was integral to securing funding and |
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authorization for the development of Mountain Creek Lake Park in |
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Grand Prairie; among numerous committee assignments, he served as |
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chair of the Motor Traffic and Interstate Cooperation Committees, |
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and during his freshman session, he was named the 1965 Public |
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Servant of the Year by the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Wright maintained his law practice in Grand |
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Prairie for nearly 60 years before retiring in 2013; among the |
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highlights of his career was his appearance before the United |
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States Supreme Court in the 1970s, and he later represented clients |
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in federal criminal cases with significant success; moreover, he |
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served as legal counsel for multiple North Texas school districts, |
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and he established the Grand Prairie ISD Education Foundation in |
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1970, one of the first organizations of its kind in the state; in |
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addition to being a prominent attorney, he was a 33rd degree Master |
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Mason, and his interest in sports encompassed playing and coaching |
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baseball and softball, spending many happy hours on the golf |
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course, and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys and Mavericks and the |
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Texas Rangers; in recognition of his many civic contributions, he |
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was honored by the Grand Prairie Chamber as Citizen of the Year in |
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2000; and |
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WHEREAS, A devoted husband and father, Mr. Wright shared more |
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than 40 years of marriage with Topsy Roberson Wright, and the couple |
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raised two children, Martha and John; after Mrs. Wright passed away |
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in 1998, he was fortunate enough to find love again with Dr. Eleanor |
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Cherryholmes, whom he met at West Fork Presbyterian Church; they |
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settled in Denton after marrying, and during retirement Mr. Wright |
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enjoyed playing bridge, making new friends, and entertaining others |
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with his gifts as a storyteller; and |
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WHEREAS, John Wright will be remembered as a force for |
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positive change in his community, as well as a tenacious advocate |
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for the legal clients he served, and he leaves behind a legacy that |
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will long be cherished by those who held him dear; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable John |
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Robert Wright Jr. and extend deepest condolences to the members of |
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his family: to his wife, Dr. Eleanor Cherryholmes; to his sister, |
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Nell Council; to his children, Martha Claire Wright and John Robert |
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Wright III and his wife, Janet Smith; to his grandchildren, Taylor, |
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Jacob, and Kathleen Post, Lauren Greil and her husband, John, |
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Hilary Donadio and her husband, Dan, and Chloe Wright and her |
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partner, Loch Roberts; to his great-granddaughter, Lucy Greil; and |
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to his other relatives, his friends, and his former colleagues; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of John Robert |
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Wright Jr. |