VIDA ELLEN WRIGHT

Vida Ellen Wright was born on November 24, 1917, to Zeoda May North and Ralph Melvin Fenderson, from pioneer families who made land runs into Oklahoma Territory. Born in Prague, OK she was raised in the nearby oil fields (Lyonsville, & Bryant) where her father worked. She was the third of four children, the other three being boys: Eldon, Lowell, & Enos. After the sudden death of her Father, when she was six, the family remained in the oil fields, as Vida's mother ruggedly struggled to provide and care for the five of them by running a boarding house and farming. In 1926 her mother met and married, O.M. Lindhorst and the two pooled their assets and ran a ten cent store in Henryetta, OK. Later Mr. Lindhorst adopted the four children and they moved to Chandler, Lincoln County, OK, and again operated a dime store. During this happy time of Vida's life, she enjoyed drawing, painting, writing, and working in the dime store. She was an excellent student and was salutatorian of her Chandler High School class. She attended Junior college and Oklahoma A & M and worked as a Lincoln County court reporter. In 1939, she married John Cecil Wright, also of Chandler. They were in the pharmacy/drugstore business there, and then after WWII, in Tulsa. In 1949 Vida and John moved to Poteau, OK, established and operated Wright's Drugstore for 33 years. They raised their three children and were involved in the community and Poteau's First Methodist Church. Vida was particularly active in Sunday School, the women's church groups, vacation bible school, the ESA sorority, the EOMC auxiliary, their children's school activities, AFS, and she also worked in the drugstore. She enjoyed homemaking, especially cooking and sewing. After selling the store, John and Vida had ten years of retirement together before John's passing. Vida remained in the family home on Amos Street in Poteau for about twelve years before moving to Norman, due to ill health associated with a series of mini-strokes, so as to be near relatives. She lived in the Rivermont Assisted Living Facility and was an inspiration for her courage, good humor and non-complaining attitude, though blind and affected by memory short-term loss for most of her last 5 years. She established her own identity at Rivermont, becoming well respected and appreciated for her spelling, grammar, biblical knowledge as well as her witty one-liners and enjoyed participating in the activities there. Passing on before her have been her husband of 53 years, Mother and Father, Step parents, brothers, and many aunts, uncles and cousins, as well as friends and neighbors. Survivors include her daughter, Cecilia Ellen Abrams; Son, John Albert Wright (Sallie) Daughter, Rebecca Jane Pulliam; granddaughter, Leslie Abrams Field (Warren); Grandson, Eric Christian Abrams; granddaughter, Jessianne Ashley Wright; grandchildren, Aspen, Autumn, Wildflower, Ocean, Mountain, Echo, and Willow Pulliam; great grandchildren, Brittany Gaddis, Finn and Harrison Field, & Pulliam great grandchildren; AFS Family; Juan and Abigail Solarzano; there are also many cousins and in-laws, as well as her many, many fine friends. Services 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at the Poteau First United Methodist Church. Interment in Oakland Cemetery, Poteau, OK.