Franklin P. Wright

Franklin Pierce Wright, age 94, died peacefully on Sunday, August 5, 2018 at Springhouse Estates in Lower Gwynedd. A lifelong resident of Ambler, Frank was the son of the late Thurman Michael Wright and Edith (Davies) Wright. He is the brother of the late Thurman Michael Wright, Jr. and the late Wanda (Wright)(Focht) Roeger. Frank served his country during WW II as a Lieutenant J.G. in the US Navy. While stationed in San Francisco, he met and married his wife of 63 years, Merilyn Peterson of Eureka, CA. The newlyweds settled in Ambler where Frank took ownership, from his father, of "Wright's Corner Store" on Church Street at the intersection of Bannockburn Avenue. While running the grocery store, Frank began his career with the Robert Wooler Company, a metal heat treating plant in Dresher, PA. Hired as a laborer on the evening shift in 1959, he worked his way up to become President of the company. He retired in 1994. Frank and his late wife Merilyn were active Life Members of the United States Power Squadrons, an organization promoting safe boating through education. Frank was a devoted member of the national organization receiving 44 merit marks and holding the...[more]

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tles of Delaware River Sail and Power Squadron Commander; District 5 Commander; and eventually National Rear Commander. He achieved the title of Senior Navigator and taught boating courses ranging from basic boating to advanced celestial navigation. Frank was also one of the top competitors in the District's navigation contests. For more than 40 years the couple spent their summers on their trawler "GAFIA" berthed in Rock Hall, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay. At Gwynedd Estates, his final residence, Frank, an avid pool player, started a class for women interested in learning how to play pool. He was also a participant in the ACTs communities fun spirited pool player's Olympics. After Merilyn passed away in 2009, Frank was fortunate enough to have had the companionship of a dear friend, Mary McHugh of Fallston, Maryland. For almost a decade, the couple took turns driving the two hours between their residences and enjoyed socializing with friends and family, traveling, comparing tomato plants, and playing cribbage. Frank was preceded in death by his beloved wife Merilyn and dear son, Donald Joseph Wright. He is survived by his daughters, Sharon Downs (Janet Helms) of Wayne, PA; Dr. Bonnie Wright of Cheltenham, PA; daughter-in-law Claire Wright of Douglassville, PA; and sons Franklin P. Wright, Jr. (Sheila) of Cumming GA; and Dennis Wright (Wayne Wagner) of Philadelphia, PA; his grandchildren Daphne (Downs) Tanouye (Alex); Franklin P. Wright, III (Kristen); Elizabeth (Wright) Kahan (Jacob); Benjamin Wright-Rowan (Laura McDavid); and Christopher Wright; and great-grandchildren Gabriel and Abigail Kahan; and Otis and August Tanouye. Friends and relatives are invited to call on Saturday September 22 after 9:30 AM at the Anton B. Urban Funeral Home, 1111 S. Bethlehem Pike, Ambler, PA. Frank's funeral service will begin at 11:00 AM. Donations in Frank's memory may be made to Disabled American Veterans (dav.org/pp), WoundedWarriorProject.org, or to the charity of your choice and are appreciated by the family.