LOUISBURG/WEAVERVILLE – Arnold Lee “Al” Wright, age 79, of 110 Clifton Street, Louisburg, died Sunday, October 9, 2011, at Franklin Regional Medical Center, Louisburg.

Mr. Wright was born June 12, 1932, in Buncombe County and raised in Weaverville. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Al was the son of the late John C. and Louise Adams Wright. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his sister, Elizabeth W. Ormand.

Al worked as a caseworker with the NC State Commission for the blind for over two years and then returned to UNC to complete his master’s degree in English. In 1967, after teaching English part-time at UNC for two years, Al accepted a full-time position at Louisburg College, where he taught English until his retirement in 1997. In 1995, Al received the Naomi Dickens Shaw Award for Faculty Teaching Excellence and the Chaplain’s Service Award. He continued to teach at the college part-time until the spring of 2000. He was a member of Weaverville United Methodist Church.

Surviving are his brother-in-law, Robert Ormand, Sr., of Columbus; nephew, Robert Ormand, Jr., (Janet) of Columbus; nieces, Lou Odel (Bruce) of Mill Spring and Laura Ormand of Columbus; an aunt, Norene Adams of Toledo, Ohio; great-nephew, John Odel (Tonya); great-nieces, Kayla Edwards (Eli) and Nikki Ormand; and one great-great-nephew and one great-great-niece.

His funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, October 13, 2011, in Weaverville United Methodist Church, with the Revs. Linda Kelly and Robert Dendy officiating. Burial will be in West Memorial Park
The family will receive friends at the church from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. preceding the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cecil W. Robbins Library Book Fund, Louisburg College, 501 North Main Street, Louisburg, NC 27549, or to your favorite charity.

West Funeral Home, 17 Merrimon Ave., Weaverville, is in charge of arrangements.

For those who desire, condolences may be offered to the family under Mr. Wright’s obituary at www.WestFamilyFuneralServices.com.

Paid Obituary