Class Notes

55, passed away peacefully at Vidant Hospice Center following a courageous battle with cancer on Tuesday, December 10, 2013. A celebration of her life will be held Saturday at 3:30 pm in the Wilkerson Funeral Chapel. Susan was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 30, 1958. She attended Stranahan High School and graduated from Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee, with a Bachelor’s degree in Interpreting for the Deaf. She earned a Master’s degree in Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University. She was employed by the State of North Carolina as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor until her retirement. She was preceded in her death by parents, Grant and Jean Wenkstern of Fort Lauderdale. Left behind to cherish her memory include her husband of 29 years, Dr. Lewis B. Gidley; and her children, Emma, Grant and Molly Gidley all from Greenville; and brothers, Dr. Michael Wenkstern and wife, Phyllia, of Martinsville, Virginia and Kermit Wenkstern and wife, Laura, of Fort Lauderdale

Cochran Funeral Home and Crematory of Blairsville announces the death of Mr. John Franklin Rhodes, Jr., age 57, of Blairsville, who passed away on Monday, June 29, 2015 in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Mr. Rhodes was born in Arcadia, Florida, on October 23, 1957, a son of John Franklin Rhodes, Sr., and Charlotte Joann Stewart Rhodes. He was a physical therapist.

James Lawrence “Larry” Wright passed peacefully in his sleep on Sunday morning, the Lord’s day, November 26, 2017 from heart failure after having braved several heart surgeries over the past 5 years. Larry was born on March 2, 1959 in Gainesville, Florida to Rose Marie Vernier and Donald Drew Wright. He attended Maryville College in Tennessee where he played football as starting middle linebacker and graduated with a BA in History. He also played semi-professional football for the West Virginia Rockets as middle linebacker. In 1978, Larry received a Congressional Nomination and Appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point, New York where he completed Beast Barracks and played football for the Black Knights of Army, but elected to pursue a career in law rather than the military. Larry attended University of Houston Law School and graduated at the top of his class. There, he met the love of his life, Belinda Davis Wright, when they became Moot Court partners, and they were married on August 29, 1987 in Austin, Texas. They moved to Elgin, Texas in 1989 where they established their family home on a ranch and were blessed with five daughters who are forever the light and joy of their father’s life: Savannah Marie Wright, Sarah Frances Wright, Alexandra Rose Wright, Lauren Mary Wright and Lacey Allison Wright. Larry began his law career as a Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Judge Jim Wallace on the Supreme Court of Texas, then became an associate attorney with Vinson & Elkins. He devoted the bulk of his career as a trial lawyer to helping the oppressed and those who’d suffered injury or wrongdoing, first as a partner with Mithoff & Jacks, then with the Watts Law Firm, and finally at Environmental Litigation Group before retiring last year. As a strong Christian man, Larry always endeavored to fulfill his calling by blessing others with his God-given talents as a brilliant lawyer and trusted friend. Larry was a member of First Baptist Church in Elgin and will be remembered fondly in the community as the doting father who took all five of his daughters to church and the City Cafe every Sunday when they were growing up. He will be greatly missed by all his family and friends who drew strength from his wisdom and courage as one who loved others unconditionally and was always ready to lend a helping hand. Larry is survived by his wife, Belinda, and his five daughters, Savannah, Sarah, Alexandra, Lauren and Lacey; his mother Rose Vernier; his brothers Sam Wright and wife Yi Zhu, and Drew Wright and wife Bridget McKinley; his sister Alice Wright and husband Joga Rao; sister-in-law Beverly Garrett Feltis and husband Al Feltis; brother-in-law Jim Davis and wife Mary Davis; nephews Joshua Garrett and Devin McKinley-Wright, and niece Nola McKinley-Wright. He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Wright; grandmothers Carrie Wright and Marie Fallin; aunt Mary Wright Butler; cousins Susan Lonon and Michael Lonon; brother-in-law Mark Garrett; and nieces Glorianne Davis and Elizabeth Garrett. A Celebration of Larry’s Life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 9 at Family Worship Center in Elgin, Texas. A private family burial will be held on the family ranch at a later date.