George Wright III, 77, of Dartmouth died Sunday October 3, 2010 at St. Luke's Hospital surrounded by his family after a brief illness. He was married to Naomi (Clarke) Wright for 52 years.
Born and raised in New Bedford, the son of the late George Wright, Jr. and Lydia (Sylvia) Wright, he lived in South Dartmouth for the past 50 years. He graduated in 1952 from New Bedford High School, in 1956 from New Bedford Institute of Technology with a BS in Mechanical Engineering, and in 1969 from Bridgewater State College with a Masters in Mathematics and Secondary School Administration.
George had a love for the ocean. In his early years he was an avid swimmer and lifeguard at various area beaches, including Horseneck Beach. Furthermore, he enjoyed many years of sailing on Buzzards Bay with family and special friends, especially the Metcalf family. He had a love for all sports and was an accomplished athlete in his youth, earning a place in the UMASS Dartmouth Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 1956 NBIT championship basketball team. He also was a longtime member of the Country Club of New Bedford and enjoyed many years of golf. He enjoyed spending time with his family and many grandchildren.
George worked at Rodney Metals for 43 years, rising to Vice President of Human Resources, retiring in 1999 at which time he began a consulting company, Human Resources Management, where he worked until 2009. In 1970, he started George Wright Oil & Equipment Co., which he ran until 1974 and then sold the business. In 1972 he taught mathematics at Westport Middle School for one year. During his career at Rodney Metals he served at various times as an incorporator for Dental Service Corp. and as a Board member for Junior Achievement, The United Way, the Private Industry Council, the New Bedford Personnel Directors Association, where he served two terms as President and IMC where he was a management advisor for twenty-five years. At the time of his death, he was a member in good standing of the STB organization. One of George’s proudest achievements while at Rodney Metals was developing a College Student Summer Jobs Program where along with Ron Shaw, Paul Humason and Joel Burns, they placed over eight hundred eligible college students in local manufacturing summer jobs.
An accomplished sports official, he had previously served as a member of the Dartmouth Recreation Commission and was a coach and umpire for the DYAA for over 20 years. He was proud to have refereed state championship basketball games at the Worcester Centrum and the old Boston Garden. He was a member for 35 years of IAABO Board #30, a member for four years of CBOA as a basketball referee, and for over 25 years he was a member of SMOFA as a football official.
Surviving besides his wife Naomi are his three sons, Thomas of Yarmouth, ME and his fiancée Patricia Reynolds, David and his wife Lisa of Mattapoisett, and William and his wife Elise of Belchertown; and eight grandchildren, Kaitlin Babineau and her husband Brian, Stephen Wright and his wife Janel, Annie, Timothy, Alexander, Madeline, Cameron, and Nathan Wright.
George was also the father of the late James and Jane Wright and the grandfather of the late Colin Wright.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday at 11 AM at St. Mary's Church, South Dartmouth. Visiting hours will be on Wednesday from 4-8 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Children’s Hospital Boston, designee: Children’s Asthma Research, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.