WILLIAM WRIGHT

SPENCERVILLE — Dr. William T. Wright, 92, of Spencerville, died the afternoon of Oct. 19, 2015, at Otterbein-Cridersville.

He was born April 17, 1923, in Cairo to Harley D. and Clara Goble Wright, who preceded him in death. He married Carolyn M. Shank, who preceded him in death.

Dr. Wright was a graduate of Columbus Grove High School, Ohio Northern University and Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, where he was the senior class president. During the Korean War, he served as the chief medical officer of the 21st Medical Unit, Engineer Depot, in Chinon, France. He practiced family medicine in Spencerville with Dr. Robert J. Doernberg for 30 years. Their only contract was a handshake.

Dr. Wright continued the successful practice for 20 more years. He was also the Allen County coroner for 18 years. He worked at a time when physicians made house calls, delivered babies, sutured patients' wounds, X-rayed, set, and cast broken limbs, introduced the polio vaccine to the Spencerville community, assisted in orthopedic, general and urological surgeries and made rounds at both area hospitals every day. He was never too busy to lend a listening ear to every person he met.

Among his professional achievements, Dr. Wright was the chief of the medical staff of Lima Memorial Hospital as well as a member of the executive committee. He was a staff physician at St. Rita's Medical Center and the medical director at Roselawn Manor and the Spencerville Ambulance Service.

He was a charter fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, State of Ohio Medical Association and the Lima and Allen County Academy of Medicine.

His community work included team physician for the Spencerville Bearcats. He loved to "walk the line" at the football games after he wrapped each players limbs before each game. He was inducted into the Ohio High School Football Association Hall of Fame as an outstanding team physician. He and Dr. Doernberg provided free athletic physicals for 50 years.

Dr. Wright was a member of the board of trustees of Trinity United Methodist Church. He served on the advisory board of the Spencerville Huntington Bank. He was a proud member of Spencerville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6772, American Legion Post 191, and the Lima Lodge 21, Fraternal Order of Police. He was also a member of Lima Fraternal Order of Elks Lodge 54. He attained the Master Mason Degree in the Acadia Lodge 306, Free & Accepted Masons, where he was a member for 50 plus years. He was selected Spencerville's Citizen of the Year in 1997. He was a founding member of the Harmony Grove square-dancing and pinochle groups.

Dr. Wright enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. Sunday afternoons were spent taking family car rides into the country to view the progress of the seasonal crops. He took great pride in his garden, which spanned an entire house lot at one time. He enjoyed sharing the bounty with friends and neighbors. Canada and Florida were always destinations to fish with his friends.

Survivors include two daughters, Janice (Thomas) Nordquist and Barbara (Anthony) DeNisco; four grandchildren, Ann (Chris), Claire (John), Wm. Zachary (Allison), and John; and three great-grandchildren, Brooks, Emma Rose and Rory Mae.

He was preceded in death by five siblings: Jeannette (Harry) Anderson, Harold (Florence) Wright, Warren (Bertha) Wright, Roger (Loretta) Wright, and Doris (Paul) Sousley.

Services will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at Thomas E. Bayliff Funeral Home in Spencerville. The Rev. Lynn Huffman will officiate. Burial will be in Spencerville Cemetery, with military rites by the Spencerville Veterans.

Friends may call from 3 to 5 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, where Masonic memorial rites will begin at 8 p.m.

Instead of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Spencerville Athletic Association, Spencerville EMS unit or to the Invincible Fire Company of Spencerville.

Condolences may be sent to tbayliff@woh.rr.com.

Special thanks to the Otterbein-Cridersville Community and all of his caregivers.