Gene M. Wright (1937-2022)

WRIGHT, PURVIS

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 7/7/2022 at 20:04:08

Gene M. Wright, age 84, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. A longtime resident of Savanna, Illinois, Gene was known by many locally as a dedicated historian and dynamic junior high school history and social studies teacher.

Gene was born the second son of Albert and Marie (Purvis) Wright on a very hot morning on August 30, 1937 in New Bedford, Illinois. Gene spent most his childhood on his family’s farm in rural Walnut and in Tampico, Illinois where he graduated from Tampico High School in 1955.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois and teaching physical education in Milledgeville for one year, Gene earned his history teacher’s certification at Illinois State University where he met the love of his life Carol Sue Harden. The two were married on July 9, 1965 and together had three children: Cheryl, Dean, and Lisa.

Gene and Carol made their home in Savanna, Illinois where Gene was employed for 33 years as a junior high school history teacher and boys track, baseball, basketball, and wrestling coach. Mr. Wright, as he was called by his students, was as an unconventional and entertaining history teacher who was known to dress up in historical period costumes and uniforms, shoot black powder rifles out his third-floor classroom window, and take impromptu class field trips down to the banks of the Mississippi River upon hearing the steam whistle or calliope of the Delta Queen sternwheeler. Mr. Wright earned a reputation for making history come alive for his students. Upon his retirement in Savanna, Gene taught for an additional 19 years at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa.

Gene enjoyed historical reenacting, most notably Civil War reenacting with Battery G, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery out of Stillman Valley, Illinois. He was also a talented musician and banjo picker. He enjoyed playing folk music with his good friends Skip Schwerdtfeger and Bob Kuhns in their trio The Beach Street Occasionals.

In addition, Gene was a military instructor in the National Reserves during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War era. He was a member of K Company of the 337th Regiment where he attained the rank of staff sergeant.

Gene is survived by his wife Carol and their three children, Cheryl (Brett) Lawson of Thompson, Illinois, Dean (Carrie) Wright of Pearl City, Illinois, and Lisa (Michael) Miller of Genoa, Illinois; 10 grandchildren, McKenzie (Tim Morgan) Miller of Lanark, Illinois, Ashlyn (Ryan) Williams of Mt. Carroll, Illinois, Trevor Miller of Freeport, Illinois, and Devon Lawson of Thompson, Illinois, Madison (Peyton) Brudi of Freeport, Illinois, and Bronte, Riley, and Sidney Wright all of Pearl City, Illinois and Harrison and Liam Miller of Genoa, Illinois; and great-grandchildren Owen and Hattie. Gene is also survived by a special cousin Gene Kruse of rural Walnut, Illinois and three sister-in-laws, Sue Wright of Mt. Morris, Illinois, Anne Polzin of Sterling, Illinois and Janice Weber of Popular Grove, Illinois, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and older brother Harold Wright of Mt. Morris, Illinois; three brother-in-laws, Roger Polzin of Sterling, Illinois, Dennis Weber of Popular Grove, Illinois, and Richard Harden of Sterling, Illinois; and one grandson, Shawn Miller of Mt. Carroll, Illinois.

A visitation for Gene will be held on Saturday, July 9th from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with a funeral service on Sunday, July 10th at 3 p.m. Both visitation and funeral will be held at the Savanna Museum & Cultural Center, 406 Main Street, Savanna, Illinois. A burial will be held at Spring Lake Cemetery immediately following the funeral service with a social gathering for friends and family afterwards at Manny’s Pizza in downtown Savanna.

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