This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: marysday Surnames: Wright, Rees, Escott, Dripp, Ayers, Arbona, Classification: obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.oregon.counties.lincoln/5412/mb.ashx Message Board Post: The News Times Newport, OR 97365 Posted: Wednesday, Apr 28th, 2010 Thomas Ronald Wright Thomas Ronald "Ron" Wright, 95, of Prescott, Ariz. died March 31, 2010 in Prescott. He was born Aug. 6, 1914 to Thomas Rees and Florence Escott Wright in Swansea, Wales. He was the eldest of four children, and his father died in WWI in France as a member of the Welsh Guard Comrades before he was born. At age 17, when his mother died, he moved to the U.S. and was raised by his maternal uncle and aunt, Tom and Anna Escott, in Portland, Ore. They sent him to barber college. He held several positions until opening his own shop. In 1940, he went to Montgomery Ward to learn watch and clock repair, and soon rose to be shop foreman. During WWII, Ward wrote the army asking for a forbearance of his draft status or they would need to close the west coast operation. After the war he opened his own jewelry stores, T.R. Wright Jewelers. He owned and operated several stores in Portland and Crescent City, Calif. In 1954, he married Shirley Dripp and started a family of four children, Thomas II, David, Cynthia and Richard. The family made an annual summer trip to Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, Canada. He also drove up to Newport during the summer to spend several months with his eldest son, Tom. He and Shirley divorced in 1978. He retired, sold his store and bought a motor home. He reconnected with an old friend, Arline Ayers, and they had 22 years of fun and traveling together. Arlene passed in the fall of 2000. He traveled around the west coast and settled in Gilbert, Ariz. in 2001. In 2006 he moved to Prescott to be near family. He loved fishing, and he also had to have the latest in new technology. He is survived by his former wife, Shirley; sons, Thomas of Newport, David (Cynthia) of Gilbert, Ariz.; and daughter Cyndi (Fred) Arbona of Prescott, Ariz. A memorial service was held April 10 in Prescott. As per the family, he will be cremated and his ashes spread over his mother's grave in Wales and the site of his son Richard's grave in Portland. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.