Ray "Pat" Wright

*** Change in day of Service & Visitation *** Ray "Pat" Wright, 92, of Sioux Center, IA, formerly of Laurens, IA, died Saturday, January 3, 2015, at Royale Meadows Care Center in Sioux Center. A visitation will be held TUESDAY from 4-8PM, with the family present from 5-7PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center. A funeral service will be held WEDNESDAY at 10:30AM at the Laurens United Methodist Church of Laurens, IA with Rev. R. Van Rathbun officiating. Interment will follow the service in Laurens Cemetery of Laurens, IA. The Wright family prefers memorials to Laurens United Methodist Church or Central Reformed Church of Sioux Center. Ray Virgil "Pat" Wright was born June 25, 1922 to Ray and Laura Wright near Lake View, Iowa. Pat was raised in Wall Lake, Iowa and graduated from Wall Lake High School in 1940. He participated in football, basketball and baseball and worked in a filling station while in high school. Pat drove truck after graduation until 1942, when he went to work in a box factory. On June 27, 1942 he married Maxine Hixson in Maryville, Missouri. Pat entered the US Army on December 4, 1942 and was stationed in El Paso, Texas where he trained to be a surgical technician. He then was stationed in Riverside, California and Tonopah, Nevada for the next 2½ years. After Pat's discharge in January of 1946, he and Maxine moved to Laurens, Iowa where he went to work for a construction company. He was called back to Korean War service in October of 1950. He went directly to Japan until his discharge in August of 1951. He returned to his family in Laurens and worked construction, with a brief stint to Wapakoneta, Ohio in 1957-58 to sell egg washers. Pat started working for the US Post Office in Laurens in January of 1959. He became Postmaster in December of 1972. He retired from the Post Office in August of 1982. In 1986, Pat and Maxine sold their home they had built in 1952 and moved to an apartment. In retirement, he worked part-time at Unruh Furniture in Laurens. Pat enjoyed fishing, sports, working with youth, traveling, playing cards and spending time supporting his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed refereeing, umpiring and keeping the scorebook plus many other volunteer duties at the local high school. Pat and Maxine were very active members of the Laurens United Methodist Church where Pat served on many committees. Upon moving to Crown Pointe in Sioux Center, Iowa in 2002, they attended Central Reformed Church. Pat was an American Legion member for over 69 years. He moved to Royale Meadows Care Center in Sioux Center in June of 2014. Surviving are two sons and daughters-in-law: Dennis and Pat Wright of Hull and Bruce and Pam Wright of Rock Valley, four grandchildren: Jeff (Ann) Wright of Sergeant Bluff, Michelle (Dean) Eichmann of Rock Valley, Chris (Kristi) Wright of Rock Rapids, Jay (Christy) Wright of Sioux City; ten great-grandchildren: Jackson, Daniel, Joseph, Isaiah, Micah, Alison, Brady, Caden Wright and Blake and McKenzie Eichmann; one foster brother: Ivan "Cap" (Eleanor) Rohde of Marion, lA; brother-in-law: Jim (Jeane) Hixson of Pella, lA. Pat was preceded in death by Maxine, his wife of 72 years; his parents, Ray and Laura Wright; a brother, Alvin "Mike" Wright and a sister, Ida Mae Boom.