Having taken my last labored breath, my spirit now soars breathlessly on the winds of time. At rest before me is my youthful father, Bobby. I leave innumerable other loved ones to live their adventures on my behalf. Most importantly is my wife and lifelong best friend, Michele, followed closely by my mother, Mama Doodle. They have so much to accomplish on my behalf that hopefully a little time remains for them to pursue their own desires. In concert with my wife and mother are my children - my oldest son, Daniel (Kate); my middle son, Andy (Megan); and my daughter, Cameron.

Somehow, thankfully, all of my siblings survived me: baby sister, Terri aka Miss Priss (Mike); baby brother, Mike aka Mikey (Debbie); older brother, Dale aka Lizod (Madeline); and oldest brother, Bob aka Mudda (Patsy) - along with all of their children and grandchildren. Beyond them I leave so many cousins and in-laws, extended and otherwise, that I can only imagine the journeys on which my spirit will soar while in their hearts and minds.

At 60, fit and exceedingly healthy, I anxiously anticipated celebrating my golden years with my lifelong best friend. The forecast extending well into our futures of sunny skies and smooth waters with gentle breezes abruptly ended when a deadly storm formed suddenly sustaining winds and weather that I was unable to withstand. Fight as I might over 3 years, the cancer overtook me. Thankfully, my surviving crew sail on with my spirit to guide and accompany them.

Please join them if you wish to bid me farewell at 2 PM on November 13 at Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina or at 1 PM on November 20 at High Street United Methodist Church in Courtland, Virginia.

If you wish to aid, memorialize, or share with me in helping everyone live life to the fullest consider a contribution to either the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center - two highly deserving and mightily underfunded research programs.

www.wrightfuneralhome.org