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August 1, 2014
Services
Friends are invited for memorial visitation on Friday, August 8, 2014 from 2:30 to 5:00 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
A Funeral Service will immediately follow visitation and begin at 5:00 PM at the funeral home.
Wooster “Wootie” Wright, Webber, Jr., age 89 of Wayne, died August 1, 2014 at the Veterans Memorial Home in Paramus, NJ.
Wootie was born in Holyoke, MA, the second of Wooster and Martha Webber’s four children. Because of his father’s work as an engineer, the family moved frequently. In fact, during the course of his childhood, Wootie moved 26 times! From 1942 to 1943 he attended Withrow High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, but his high school years were interrupted by World War II as Wootie was drafted into the U.S. Army Engineers. He served as a machinist in the European and Pacific Theaters from 1943 to 1946. For his service, he was the recipient of the European-Africa-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon, and the Victory Medal World War II. He also received several metals for expert rifle marksmanship. After the war Wootie returned to high school, this time Montclair High School in Montclair, NJ. He went on to study at Thomas Edison College in Fort Myers, FL and later at Newark College of Engineering and Stevens Institute of Technology. He enjoyed a long and prosperous career as an electrical systems designer working for various companies until retiring in 1982 from Gibbs and Hill, New York City. As a part of his profession, he enjoyed being a member of the Montclair Society of Engineers.
In 1952 Wootie met the love of his life, a classy young lady named Margretha Vail. It was a blind date with another couple and Wootie picked Margretha up in his blue Oldsmobile convertible with white interior. The four of them went to dinner in Upper Montclair. Love was born that night and it eventually culminated in the exchanging of their wedding vows on Saturday, November 29, 1952 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Margretha’s hometown of Ossining, NY. The ceremony was followed by a luxurious reception at the Carlston Kittle House in Mount Kisco, NY. Then the newlyweds enjoyed an adventurous honeymoon touring the southeastern portion of the U.S.
Wootie and Margretha initially settled in Montclair. There they welcomed their first two children, Laura and Steven. In 1958 they moved to Packanack Lake living on the west side of the lake. When their third child Elizabeth was born, they found it challenging having all three kids in one bedroom so, in 1963 they moved into a larger home on the east side of the lake. It is there that Wootie remained to the present.
Wootie had some interesting hobbies. Most noteworthy was his love of birds, so he studied at the American School of Carving for several years, honing his carving skills. He carved and painted beautiful birds out of wood and, subsequently, was the recipient of several NJ and NY blue ribbons. Wootie also had a great love of electronics and he especially enjoyed listening to big band and classical music on the elaborate sound systems he configured. He also enjoyed spending time with other electronics enthusiast at the Hi-Fi Club he attended in Caldwell. In fact, it was at this club that his love of electronics began. Wootie was also a long-time member of the Howard Masonic Lodge in New York City.
Wootie adored his children of whom he was very proud! He taught them all how to sail on their sunfish sail boat and he participated as an Indian guide with his son Steven. The kids will never forget the trip they took as a family, traveling all through Canada…..in a Volkswagen Bug! Like his own children, he simply adored his grandchildren. He was very creative with them often times getting right down on the floor with them and literally entering the world of their playful imaginations. Next to his family, he especially enjoyed the company of Babaco, his loyal Labrador Retriever.
A patient, even-tempered and kind man, Wootie will be remembered as a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend who loved life and enjoyed sharing his active imagination, sense of humor, great stories and jokes with anyone who would listen.
Surviving to mourn his loss, but celebrate his new life in heaven, are his beloved wife Margretha; his three dear children: Laura H. and husband Dr. Jerry A. Greene of Lutz, FL, Steven Wright of Wayne, and Elizabeth W. and husband Petras Karevicius of York PA; two cherished grandchildren: Lydia H. and Jarad C. Greene; his sister Roberta W. Palmer of Massachusetts; and two nieces. He was predeceased two other sisters: Marcie Lentz and Betsy Haines.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends are invited for memorial visitation on Friday, August 8, 2014 from 2:30 to 5:00 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
A Funeral Service will immediately follow visitation and begin at 5:00 PM at the funeral home.
August 1, 2014
Services
Friends are invited for memorial visitation on Friday, August 8, 2014 from 2:30 to 5:00 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
A Funeral Service will immediately follow visitation and begin at 5:00 PM at the funeral home.
Wooster “Wootie” Wright, Webber, Jr., age 89 of Wayne, died August 1, 2014 at the Veterans Memorial Home in Paramus, NJ.
Wootie was born in Holyoke, MA, the second of Wooster and Martha Webber’s four children. Because of his father’s work as an engineer, the family moved frequently. In fact, during the course of his childhood, Wootie moved 26 times! From 1942 to 1943 he attended Withrow High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, but his high school years were interrupted by World War II as Wootie was drafted into the U.S. Army Engineers. He served as a machinist in the European and Pacific Theaters from 1943 to 1946. For his service, he was the recipient of the European-Africa-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon, and the Victory Medal World War II. He also received several metals for expert rifle marksmanship. After the war Wootie returned to high school, this time Montclair High School in Montclair, NJ. He went on to study at Thomas Edison College in Fort Myers, FL and later at Newark College of Engineering and Stevens Institute of Technology. He enjoyed a long and prosperous career as an electrical systems designer working for various companies until retiring in 1982 from Gibbs and Hill, New York City. As a part of his profession, he enjoyed being a member of the Montclair Society of Engineers.
In 1952 Wootie met the love of his life, a classy young lady named Margretha Vail. It was a blind date with another couple and Wootie picked Margretha up in his blue Oldsmobile convertible with white interior. The four of them went to dinner in Upper Montclair. Love was born that night and it eventually culminated in the exchanging of their wedding vows on Saturday, November 29, 1952 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Margretha’s hometown of Ossining, NY. The ceremony was followed by a luxurious reception at the Carlston Kittle House in Mount Kisco, NY. Then the newlyweds enjoyed an adventurous honeymoon touring the southeastern portion of the U.S.
Wootie and Margretha initially settled in Montclair. There they welcomed their first two children, Laura and Steven. In 1958 they moved to Packanack Lake living on the west side of the lake. When their third child Elizabeth was born, they found it challenging having all three kids in one bedroom so, in 1963 they moved into a larger home on the east side of the lake. It is there that Wootie remained to the present.
Wootie had some interesting hobbies. Most noteworthy was his love of birds, so he studied at the American School of Carving for several years, honing his carving skills. He carved and painted beautiful birds out of wood and, subsequently, was the recipient of several NJ and NY blue ribbons. Wootie also had a great love of electronics and he especially enjoyed listening to big band and classical music on the elaborate sound systems he configured. He also enjoyed spending time with other electronics enthusiast at the Hi-Fi Club he attended in Caldwell. In fact, it was at this club that his love of electronics began. Wootie was also a long-time member of the Howard Masonic Lodge in New York City.
Wootie adored his children of whom he was very proud! He taught them all how to sail on their sunfish sail boat and he participated as an Indian guide with his son Steven. The kids will never forget the trip they took as a family, traveling all through Canada…..in a Volkswagen Bug! Like his own children, he simply adored his grandchildren. He was very creative with them often times getting right down on the floor with them and literally entering the world of their playful imaginations. Next to his family, he especially enjoyed the company of Babaco, his loyal Labrador Retriever.
A patient, even-tempered and kind man, Wootie will be remembered as a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend who loved life and enjoyed sharing his active imagination, sense of humor, great stories and jokes with anyone who would listen.
Surviving to mourn his loss, but celebrate his new life in heaven, are his beloved wife Margretha; his three dear children: Laura H. and husband Dr. Jerry A. Greene of Lutz, FL, Steven Wright of Wayne, and Elizabeth W. and husband Petras Karevicius of York PA; two cherished grandchildren: Lydia H. and Jarad C. Greene; his sister Roberta W. Palmer of Massachusetts; and two nieces. He was predeceased two other sisters: Marcie Lentz and Betsy Haines.
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