Obituary: Jack Wright
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Jack Wright, 74, died April 17, 2012, at his residence on Sandy Run Lake in Norris City. John C. "Jack" Wright was born Feb. 9, 1938, to the late Charles and Kathryn (Gaskins) Wright in Harrisburg.
When Jack was a young man, he was a very active Boy Scout achieving the Eagle Scout ranking. He graduated Harrisburg High School with the class of 1956. He was an amazing athlete; a true asset to the Bulldog football team. He graduated from Southern Illinois University with a degree in education. He began his teaching and coaching career in Carrier Mills school district. After a brief time in Carrier Mills, he achieved his goal of teaching and coaching at his alma mater, HHS, until 1994. Though he retired from teaching. Jack continued giving back to HHS by painting almost every summer and helping with custodial duties.
Jack was a very active man. There was never time where he was sitting around doing nothing. He liked to spend his time fishing, helping others, being with his friends and family, and attending ballgames. He was always proud to be a Harrisburg Bulldog. He loved all of his former students and considered them more than that; they were life-long friends and family.
He was married to Phyllis Whitlock from May 6,1960 until 1973. Together, they had two beautiful sons who he is survived by: John C. Wright II and William K. Wright. Phyllis assisted him in making it through SIUC and spent 13 years together with him and their two sons. Jack was a very proud father of both of his sons. John was an extremely talented football and basketball player in high school who later went on to work 24 years in the Marion Federal Penitentiary and William "Bill" went on to become a teacher's aide at HHS trying to follow in the footsteps of his father.
Jack is also survived by his three grandchildren, Lauren Wright, Jonathan Wright and Katie Wright. Jack, known as "Pappaw" to his grandchildren, was an amazing person. He took them fishing and swimming often and never missed a holiday or birthday. There was never a time any of them doubted his love for them because he showed it as often as he could. He is greatly missed by his family.
"Pappaw" Jack's life will be celebrated Friday April 20, 2012 at Reed's Funeral Chapel. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to service time at 7 p.m.