Florie Wright

Florie Elizabeth Kelly Wright joined her husband in Heaven on July 16, 2018. She was born in Dexter, Georgia on February 1, 1925 to Otis Harvey and Ella Mae (McCrackin) Kelly, the seventh of eleven children. As part of the WWII war effort, she worked on aircraft at Jacksonville Naval Air Station. She graduated from Crawford Long in Atlanta, as an R. N. Her Nurse Cadet Corps uniform is on display at the Miami Valley Military Museum. She also graduated from Central Michigan University in 1980.
In 1947, Florie moved with three friends to work in New York City. She met Thomas Buerger Wright, M.D. on his post-war internship at City Hospital in New York. They were married in Cincinnati on March 27, 1949.  He passed away in 2009.
Following pediatric residency at the University of Michigan, Tom and Florie settled in Bay City and raised five children: William (Carol) and Kenneth (Tammy) Wright of Bay City; Dr. Julia (Robert) Kelly, of Trenton, MI; Benjamin Wright, of Midland and Joyce (Jerome) Curby, of Hillsdale. Grandchildren are: Gregory (Amy Anderson), Sarah (Sandip Suvedi), Ashley, Kenneth, Andrew and MaryKate Wright; Emily (Shawn) Gilligham, Brian Kelly; and Michael, Lisa and Kevin Curby. Along with great-grandson, Dustin Scott Wright.
Florie is survived by her sister-in-law, Josephine Wright, of Indianapolis as well as many nieces or nephews and their families. She was predeceased by her parents and her siblings.
Florie was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and had served as a Deacon. She and Tom worked as two of the initial directors of the Youth Group.  She helped with the Charity Ball for the Medical Auxiliary of the Bay, Arenac and Iosco Counties Medical Society. She was proud of her family and her flower garden. She enjoyed preparing feasts for family occasions.
The family wants to thank the entire staff of Bay Shores, especially to staff in the Michigan Wing
Funeral and committal services will take place at 11:00 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Saturday, July 21, 2018. Officiating will be Rev. Matthew Schramm with private burial in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family at the Gephart Funeral Home, Inc. on Friday from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. Mrs. Wright will be taken to the church on Saturday to lie in state from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to make a memorial contribution to Westminster Presbyterian Church. For online condolences www.GephartFuneralHome.com