Dennis Neil Wright
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Funeral services for Dennis Neil Wright, 61, Lawrence, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. Please be aware that due to COVID-19 and safety precautions, there will only be 45 people allowed and we are asking people to respect and comply with social distancing and must wear a mask. A private family only burial will follow at Stony Point Cemetery in Baldwin City, KS. Neil passed away on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at KU Medical Center after a brief illness.
Neil was born on February 14, 1959 in Pocahontas, AR, the son of Claude and Dolly (Ratliff) Wright.
He was a Power Lineman for Westar for 39 years. He was very proud to restore power to areas which had been devastated by natural disasters. Although he loved his job, he loved his children more, and was very proud of their accomplishments. He had a dry sense of humor, loved to travel and spend time with his family. Neil submitted copy and was published in the syndicated comic “Pluggers” on three occasions.
Neil married Kathleen Parsons on September 13, 1997 in Baldwin City, KS. She survives of the home.
Other survivors include his mother, Dolly Gilliland, children; Kandice (Brian) Crawley, Dameon (Sherry) Reed, Benjamin (Courtney) Thomas, Deneile (Brian) Snow, Caleb Wright, brother, Bruce (Jeanne) Wright, and twelve grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother Kenneth and his father Claude.
Neil will be lying in state 10:00 a.m. ~ 8:00 p.m., Monday, February 1, 2021 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. Family will be present from 6:00 ~ 8:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made in Neil’s name to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.
To Kitty and the kids & the grandkids very sorry for the tremendous loss, Neil was a great man in all ways that got snatched away from us way way crazy too soon.
I love you Neil and miss you a lot already. We will be meeting up again in the future…. Godspeed to you brother.
Bruce
So sorry to hear of Neil’s passing. We had a lot of fun in high school. Rest In Peace.
My heart is breaking for you all right now. I’m so incredibly sorry you are going through this. It’s devastating to lose our loved ones, especially when it’s so unexpected. My prayers will be with you during this terribly sad time.
My condolences and prayers for the whole family. Neil was a great guy.
Kitty and family’—so very sorry to hear about Neil! We are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers????????
Neil was a great man that made this crazy world a better place. I am proud to have called him my friend. God Bless his Moma and Kitty along with all his children and grands!! May you find peace through precious memories…
So sorry to hear of this loss. Neil was a prominent figure in high school. He was a great athlete and friends to many. I was very close to his family and he was great friends with my brother. I will keep the family in prayer and hope great memories and remembrance of love overpower the sorrow.
To all of Neils family and close friends… Jeff and I are saddened by the loss of this wonderful family man. He was a wonderful friend to many, I don’t think he knew a stranger. Him and Kitty were fantastic hosts for our 35th class reunion, and our next reunion won’t be the same without him. Just know that there are many who are wishing you strength, love and healing in this sad time. May you be blessed with all the happy memories and love you shared all these years, as short as they were. God speed Neil, may you rest in blissful eternal sleep.
Kitty and family,
So sorry to hear of Neil’s passing.
Another one, gone too soon.
Keeping your family in our thoughts and prayers.
Kim and Jerry Neis
Very sad to learn about Neil’s passing. He was a very kind person and I always enjoyed talking to him and hearing his perspective on a variety of topics. His smile and love of life will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire family.
Thinking of you all! Prayers that all your happiest memories flood your hearts during this time and forever.
Randy & Rosey Jackson
Kitty and Family. We are so sorry for your family’s loss. Neil was a wonderful man. You are in our prayers. John and Julie Woodward
Me and Richard are so very sorry for your loss! We are praying for Kitty and all the family during this very rough time! My whole family sends their condolences as well and if any of the family need anything please reach out to us! Neil was a good man and I know he will be missed by many! God Bless you All!
My deepest sympathies to Neil’s family. I am so sorry for your tremendous loss.
Neil’s classmates from the Eudora class of ’77 will miss him too. He was one of the main instigators of many high school follies. I don’t quite remember how many people we were able to pack into his Gran Torino, but I know it was in the double figures. Many a Friday and Saturday night were spent cruising Main Street packed in like sardines, while Neil drove, and we all loved every minute of it. Neil was fun, funny, and just an all-around good guy. Robin, you are right, our next reunion will not be the same without him.
Rest in peace, my friend.
My heartfelt condolences go out to the whole Wright family. My heart goes out especially to his mother, Dolly.
I must admit this was one of the hardest messages I have ever had to compose . The Wright family was a big part of my growing up years. Neil and I were classmates in high school . We had many moments on those youthful weekends filled with a lot of high school hijinks and shenanigans. He had a formidable wit, and was always up for some kind of wild adventure. Like most relationships in ones youth, life simply gets in the way and you move on to a degree after school is out forever . You move onto jobs, starting a home of your own, and raising a family. Even though time passes and you don’t see much of each other , that moment when you have a chance to meet up again, it seems like you start again right where you both left off . It was like that with Neil and I .
The last time Neil text me he said we needed to go out so he could buy me a beer and catch up. He said he felt he owed me a couple because he was sure he had drank a few of mine when I wasn’t looking over the years.
We never did have a chance to have that beer together, much to my regret.
But here is something to keep in mind. Even though death takes a person away , it can’t change your relationship with that person. I plan on having that beer tonight and thinking of my long time friend . ~Cheers!
Slavko Galic: My deepest condolences to whole Family!
Our condolence to the Family! Neil was such a great guy! RIP Neil! You will be miss.
My heartfelt condolence’s to the whole family.
So sorry for your loss. Still doesn’t seem possible. Neil was a great guy and had a big heart. He will be missed tremendously. Prayers and thoughts are with you all. Rest in Paradise.
Hi Kitty, I am very sorry to hear this news. I wish you the best in this difficult time.
I was Neil’s apprentice advisor when he first got into line work in Lawrence. Previously he worked at the Lawrence Power Plant. Later I was his foreman on a line crew in Lawrence and we would travel as a crew restoring power after large storms and natural disasters in many areas. He was not only a co-worker but also a friend to me and my family. The “Plugger” cartoons that he contributed to always ended up in our family keepsake scrapbook. After my retirement we continued to stay in touch. He will truly be missed and remembered fondly.
I am sorry to hear about Neil’s death. Always enjoyed talking to him at class reunions, when he would restore our electricity or working on the light pole. He was a great guy. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
Kitty, so sorry to hear of Neil’s passing.
I remember how happy you and Neil were. Always remember the good times you had together. Prayers for you and family. Patty & Bruce Gifford
I had the honor to be Neil’s coworker at the Lawrence Energy Center. In fact Neil trained me when I first started working there. Neil was a hard worker, so smart and had such a great sense of humor-a dry wit. He was an intensely proud father. Neil was a truly good, good person. I am glad he was my friend and I am so very sorry for your loss of him. He will be greatly missed.
Neil was a good man and great friend.He will be missed by all who knew him.We will keep Neil in our memories
Sorry for the loss of Neil, was a friend that did not see enough of. Rest In Peace and my blessings to the entire family.