Area leaders are remembering Bill Wright as a tireless public servant that loved his community.
Leslie L. ‘Bill? Wright, Jr. of Ortonville died March 6.
He was 91.
Born in Lake Orion, Michigan to the late Leslie L. and Agnes Marie (nee: Kennedy) Wright, Sr. He married the former Edith Tyson, Sept. 14, 1946 in Lake Orion; she died Feb. 5, 2003. He is survived by three daughters, Carol Ann (Dan) Hess, Patty (Mark) Fraser and Marjorie (Richard) Runyan; four grandchildren, Blake (Joleen) Hess, Brent (Jennifer) Hess, Lucas and Jacob Runyan; one great grandson, Devlin Hess; preceded in death by two children, Kathryn Wright and William Leslie Wright. Bill was a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard having served in the South Pacific during WWII.
Wright served as Brandon Township Supervisor from 1972 to 1984 and also served many years as a township trustee and as a township zoning board enforcement officer until he was 88-years-old.
Karen McArthur was Brandon Township Deputy Clerk in 1982.
‘We had just completed the township supervisor election between Bill (Wright) and Michael Barry and there was a one vote difference,? said McArthur. ‘The Oakland County Elections Commission came out to the township hall to do a recount’we were using paper ballots at the time. Following the recount it ended up in a tie, so the commission decided to draw a name out of a hat. Bill and Michael pulled names out and Bill won. That was it, Michael just kind of walked away.?
Jeannie McCreery, who served as Brandon Township Clerk from 2000 to 2012 remembers Bill as the community historian.
‘If you ever had any questions regarding the history of the community just ask Bill,? said McCreery. ‘He loved this township and especially loved all the cemeteries? he knew so much about them. He and his wife Edith, who passed away in 2003, were an amazing love story. He was just lost without her.?
‘Bill was a dedicated public servant from school board member to supervisor to code enforcer’I doubt there was a year he was not on some board and working for this community. He will be missed.?
A charter and life member of the Ortonville VFW #582, member of the Ortonville Rotary, Ortonville Historical Society and Ortonville United Methodist Church where his funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., today, Saturday, March 9, 2013. Pastor Jeremy Benton, officiating. Interment will follow at Seymour Lake Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the church or Genesys Hospice. To send a private condolence to the family select guestbook at
www.CoatsFuneralHome.com/Obituaries.