Barbara R. Wright's Obituary
Barbara Rogers Russell Wright, age 87, model; preeminent golfer; humanitarian passed away May 19, 2019She was known for her warm personality, smile, grace, sense of humor, style, and beauty.Born to Eula Mae and Henry Rogers in 1931, she graduated from Central High School and attended Memphis State, where she was honored as a campus beauty. She began a modeling career as a teenager and modeled in all the leading department stores in Memphis as well as appearing in national ads and billboards. In 1951, she was named Miss Memphis at the Les Passees New Year’s Eve Gala.She took up golf in her early 30’s and within two years became country club champion, a feat she achieved six additional times. She went on to win dozens of local and regional golf titles over the next four decades, during which time she served as association president of Memphis Area Women’s Golf, Tri-State Ladies Golf, Chickasaw Ladies Golf, and Memphis Interclub Golf.With her husband, John Marion Wright, also an avid and accomplished golfer, she traveled the world playing at famous courses and locales and won numerous mixed-partner events. They were members of Chickasaw Country Club.Active in the community, she served: in the Woman’s Exchange for over 30 years as a volunteer and board member; as president of the Junior Kennedy Book and Agenda Clubs; and as a member of the Town and Country Garden Club. In her faith, she was a member of Germantown Presbyterian and a deacon at her former church, Whitehaven Presbyterian.After the death of her husband, she ran the family business and enjoyed investing in the market and going to the U of M basketball games with her sons and grandsons. She and her son, Rob, were chosen outstanding Twilight Golfers of the year at Chickasaw Country Club in 1999, repeating the honor she had won previously with her husband.She is survived by: her daughter, Connie Wright Kingery of Saint Johns, FL; her sons, Joseph and Robert (Karen) Russell of Memphis, Gary (JoAnne) and Ken Wright of Oxford, MS, and Memphis; her grandchildren Dean (Jimmy) Kingery Walters of Jacksonville, FL, Edgin (Jim) Wright Levy of Memphis, Kip (Jaime) Wright of West Palm Beach, FL, Josh and Katie Russell of Los Angeles, CA, Tyler and Alex Russell of Memphis, Kenneth, Caroline, and Emily Wright of Memphis, Patrick (Sally Ward) and Anna Woodyard of Nashville, Catherine (Rance) Moring of Charleston, MS; great-grandchildren Mary Grace and Sarah Beth Walters of Jacksonville, FL, Wright Levy of Memphis, Anna Campbell Woodyard of Nashville; and her longtime and dearest friend, Mackey Pepper.She was predeceased by her infant son John Rogers Russell and her three sisters Doris Burgess of Houston, TX; Peggy Wilks of Keller, TX; and Lela Ann Rogers of Memphis.Memorials can be made to Church Health Center https://churchhealth.org/donate/A memorial service will be held celebrating her Life on Thursday, May 23 at Germantown Presbyterian Church at 11:30 a.m.
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