William Ralph Wright
December 19, 1936 - January 14, 2019

William Ralph Wright, age 82, of Council Bluffs, passed away January 14, 2019 at Midlands Living Center. Ralph was born December 31, 1936 in Cedar, Iowa and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1955 and received his bachelor's degree in music education in 1959. As a student at Thomas Jefferson, Ralph felt three areas shaped his life, music, theatre and accounting. All three have influenced his career and personal time throughout his life. In 2015, Ralph was inducted in the TJ Hall of Fame. Ralph began his band teaching career in Van Meter, Iowa and continued through Mormon Trail and Gilmore City-Bradgate schools. After returning to Council Bluffs, and a career change, he began volunteering at Chanticleer Theatre and was hired by the Firehouse Dinner Theatre. In this phase of his career, he worked with Opera Omaha, Nebraska Theatre Caravan, Omaha Community Playhouse educational touring Company and the Upstairs Dinner Theatre. He began as a volunteer at the General Dodge House where he served as bookkeeper for 20 years. He also became the collections associate at the Hall of History Museum at Boys Town before he retired in 2000. He also worked at Bluffs Run for 24 years, volunteered at the Union Pacific Museum, Hitchcock Nature Center and active member of St. John's Church at Creighton University. Ralph is former president of the Pottawattamie County Historical Society, Chanticleer Theatre, and co-author with R.H.Fanders and Ryan Roenfeld of Greetings from Council Bluffs, Iowa. He also is a member of the Southwest Iowa Men's chorus, former director of the Chansel Choir and Bell Choir at Epworth Church, former theatre manager of Upstairs Dinner Theatre and road manager for Nebraska Theatre Caravan, member of Heartland Host's winning the Amelia Bloomer award for leadership. Ralph was a technical director, actor, singer and stage manager at a number of theatre's in the area. He is preceded in death by his father, Raymond Wright; mother, Ruth Bencker and brother-in-law, Donald Pike. Survivors include sister, Shirley Pike; nephew, Douglas Pike and wife, Charlotte; niece, Donna Chavis and husband, Howard all of Florida and their children, Kelly and Cody.

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