Willard Wright

Willard Wright

Willard Wright, 88, of Akron, passed away March 19, 2005. Willard was a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was the crew chief of the only airplanes to take off and fight the attackers. He was also stationed on Midway and other islands in the Pacific. Willard retired from the Akron Police Department in 1976 with over 30 years of service. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police, the Coventry-Akron #83 Free and Accepted Masons, the American Legion, and was a life member of the DAV. In his free time, Willard enjoyed traveling and fishing. He had visited all fifty states and spent many hours with his grandson, Harold Jr., at different fishing locations in Akron. Willard was preceded in death by his wife, Kathryn E. Wright; parents, Steven S. and Vesta A. (Bessie) Wright; sisters, Dixie Justice, Virginia Hamsley, and Juanita Nicks; brother-in-law, Glen Crozier; sister-in-law, Ganel Shimp. He is survived by his son, Harold W. (Rory) Wright; grandchildren, Harold W. (Melka) Wright, Jr. and Tracy L. (Troy) Zimmer; great-grandchildren, Brittany K. Zimmer and Ty A. Zimmer; in-laws, Don (Dee-Dee) Carpenter, Mary (Homer) Brown, Vivian (James) Eubanks, and Ralph Shimp; and many nieces and nephews, including special nieces, Sylvia Osborne and Sandra Robertson and special nephew, Willard Justice. Calling hours will be Wednesday from 4-6:30 p.m. at NEWCOMER FUNERAL HOME, 131 N. Canton Rd. A Masonic service will be held at 6:30 p.m. by Victory Lodge # 649, followed by a funeral service at 7 p.m. Interment will take place Friday at 10 a.m. at Hillside Memorial Park with military honors provided by Mogadore VFW 8487. The family would like to thank Elizabeth Badgett and Barbara Vargo for the service, care, and compassion given to Willard these last years.

NEWCOMER FUNERAL HOME (330) 784-3334