Arthur Wright

Arthur L. (Art) Wright, 100, a lifelong resident of Duluth (Oakley St) died Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at the Benedictine Health Center, Duluth. He was
the eldest son of A.L. (Archie) and Millie G. Wright. He grew up on east 9th Street, and attended Munger elementary, Washington Jr. and Central High School as well as the Duluth Junior College, from which he graduated in 1933. He was an amateur Radio Operator, licensed in 1929 as W9GKM and he also held a Commercial Morse Code License permitting him to work aboard Lake Superior Freighters and at WRL Duluth's Radio Marine wireless land Station...
He was a founding member of the Arrowhead Radio Amateurs Club, organized in 1929 and whose roughly 200 members are active to this day in furnishing emergency communication during disasters and events related to public safety. In 1934 he went to work at N.W. Bell Telephone Co. as a tester and dispatcher in the long-distance department,, retiring in 1974 as an Engineering Manager. In his youth he was a Boy Scout, achieving the rank of Eagle and he served two years on the staff at Camp Lawrie near Cromwell, one as bugler and one as scribe (bookkeeper). In later years he was Scoutmaster of Kiwanis Troop 29 at Grant School and American Legion troop 10 at Lester Park School. Art was active in
numerous fields, ranging from woodworking, welding, and electronics to gardening, beekeeping, canoeing and others. He and his wife Helen became certified Master Gardeners, supporting the County Agent on matters of horticulture. He was also a Volunteer Health Insurance Advocate and a deliverer of Meals on Wheels. He attended Lakeside Presbyterian Church and with his wife was advisor to youth groups who, among other endeavors, took numerous trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Art was a 66 year member of Lake Superior Masonic Lodge and a 32nd degree Scottish Rite. He was also a member of AARP Chapter 2505, the LAL (Lake Ave. Loafers) and the Telephone Pioneers. He was preceded in death by a sister, Annabelle Lounsberry, a brother Franklin and an infant brother Edward. Helen, his wife of 75 years, died in December 2010.
Survivors include a daughter, Judie Hanson (Dick) of Arden Hills MN, a
son, Donald (Pastor Ardis) of Lake Elmo MN and son Robert (Mary) of Wisconsin Rapids WI, eight grandchildren, Carolyn (Don) Freitag, Elizabeth (Eric) Schumacher, Patricia Hanson, Daniel (Krissy) Wright, David (Caroline) Wright, Sarah Wright, Dawn (Joe) Flater and Lee (Amy) Wright and four great grandchildren, Kyra Wright, Austin Wright, Johan Haglund-Wright, Emma Wright and Mabel Freitag.
A celebration of his life will be held at Friday, June 21, 2013 at Lakeside Presbyterian Church, 4430 McCulloch St. Duluth.
Art would prefer memorials be directed to the Boy Scouts,3877 Stebner Rd. Hermantown, MN 55811,Lakeside Presbyterian Church or Lake Superior Masonic Lodge, 4731 Gladstone St. Duluth, MN 55804 and not necessarily in that order.
Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, (218) 727-3555.