Dearly loved, wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great- grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle and friend, Leander (Lee) Edward Wright, 90, of Centralia passed away at home on March 15, 2014. Lee was born June 13,1923 in Huntington Beach, Calif. to Will and Ada (Miller) Wright. He grew up in the mountains of New Mexico, graduating from Weed High School, in Weed, N.M. in 1941. He attended Eastern New Mexico University before being drafted into the Army. He served in the European the Battle of the Bulge in Germany and Asiatic - Pacific Theaters, Philippines, serving as a Scout with a field artillery battalion in both Theaters. Following his discharge, Lee went to work for Western Electric installing equipment in telephone offices. On Nov. 5, 1948 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho he married the love of his life Beatrice (Bea) Mebust who was working as a telephone operator in Pasco, Wash.when they met. It was love at first sight for Lee who never went a day, maybe an hour without telling her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. He worked in the telephone industry in Pasco, Richland and Spokane. He graduated from Whitworth University in 1971 while continuing his telephone career moving to Centralia, Wash. in 1971 until his retirement in 1984. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, bowling, and playing pinochle. He also has enjoyed meeting with WWII Veterans every Tuesday morning for breakfast at Judy’s Country Kitchen and has been honored with a display at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis. A lifelong Christian, he was a member of Harrison Square Presbyterian Church, aka First Presbyterian Church of Centralia, where he had served as an elder and a deacon.
Lee was preceded in death by his son, William (Bill) Warren Wright.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Bea; daughters, Lea (Leatrice) (Dave) Noble, Spokane and Lora (Ron) Collins, Olympia; grandchildren, Matthew (Jamie) Wright, Los Angeles, Calif., Zachary Wright, San Francisco, Calif., David Noble Jr., Spokane, Alisha (Josh) Maginnis, Tacoma and Joshua Bundy, Eugene, Ore.; and two great-grandchildren, Hayden Maginnis and Lilah Maginnis; Bea’s sister, Kathy (Mebust) (Mark) Freese, Spokane; nephews Erik Freese, Spokane and Ryan (Katie) Freese, Chicago; Bea’s sister-in-law, Patricia Mebust, Lincoln, Calif; nephews, Tom (Bonnie) Mebust, Hayward, Calif., Jim (Merry) Mebust, Coronado, Calif., David (Bonnie) Mebust, Island Lake, Ill., Rich (Valerie) Mebust, Rocklin, Calif.and Rich (Patti) Mebust, San Diego, Calif; niece, Carol (Rick) Voss, Stafford, Va; and numerous great-nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Assured Home and Hospice for their compassionate , professional care and assistance.
A celebration of Lee’s life will be held Saturday, March 22, 2014, 2:00 p.m. at Harrison Square Presbyterian Church in Centralia. The Rev. Dr. Ronald B. Rice officiating, reception to follow.
Memorial donations may be made to Harrison Square Presbyterian Church, 1227 Harrison Avenue, Centralia, WA 98531, or to the Veterans Memorial Museum, 100 SW Veterans Way, Chehalis, WA 98532.
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