Submitted by

Karen Stewart

Kenneth Ray Wright
Kenneth Ray “Doc” Wright passed away at his home at Via Christi Village on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011, at the age of 96. He joins his beloved wife, Zenna, who preceded him in death on Jan. 2, 2005.
A celebration of his life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, at Albright United Methodist Church with the Rev. Scott A. Spencer presiding.
Doc was born on Oct. 11, 1915, to Grover Cleveland Wright and Nellie Carle Wright in Ponca City. When he was five months of age, his mother died from blood poisoning; whereupon his grandparents, Charles and Alice Wright, raised him until their deaths. Upon their passing, he became part of his aunt Leona Wright Brunhoeber’s family. His father, Grover, was killed in an oil rig accident when he was still a youngster.
Doc was a product of the Ponca City School System, graduating in 1934. He also attended business college in Ponca City, where he met the love of his life, Zenna. He then continued his education at Oklahoma A&M (OSU), where he majored in chemical engineering.
Zenna and Doc were married on Feb. 27, 1938, in El Dorado, Kan., and were married 67 years at the time of her passing. They spent their entire married life in Ponca City, residing in the 900 block of North Seventh Street for more than 55 years. In June, 2003, they moved to Via Christi Village Assisted Living and Nursing for their remaining years.
Professionally, Doc had a long, successful career in the oil industry. He was a refinery chemist with Cities Service Oil Company for 30 years and spent another 15 years working as a specialist in the Maintenance Department at Conoco Oil Company, where he had the opportunity to inspect oil tankers in Greece, France, England and the Middle East. He retired at the age of 70 on Nov. 1, 1985.
Away from work, Doc was actively involved with religious, community and volunteer organizations. He was a charter member of Albright United Methodist Church, where he was a Sunday school secretary for more than 30 years. He also served as chairman of the church historical society, which published two volumes of church history under his leadership. He continued as honorary chairman until his death.
As a longtime volunteer at the Ponca City Regional Medical Center, he worked in the cardiac care unit. Together he and Zenna had a combined total of over 9,000 hours as volunteers. In addition, he was active in the political process as a precinct official in several capacities for over 42 years. He also was a charter member of the Pioneer Genealogy Society, which he followed until his health prevented him from doing so. A favorite activity was his dog obedience work where he taught two classes a year for 32 years, teaching many Ponca City dogs and their masters the finer points of life.
On the sports front, Doc also had a lengthy legacy of success as well as in giving back to the community. For more than 40 years he was involved in softball, Cub Scout baseball, junior baseball and American Legion baseball as a player, official, coach and score keeper. For 20 of those years, he was a registered high school baseball umpire. He also helped organize and promote the YMCA grade school athletic program, and as a coach his teams won three State Championships. In the late ‘70s he was named “Mr. Baseball” by the Lions, Kiwanis and the Rotary clubs, receiving a plaque which was a special treasure of his. He was recently featured in an article in the Ponca City News in which he was photographed with his plaque. And then, there were his beloved Sooners, whom he followed passionately until he was no longer able to do so.
Doc is survived by his daughter, Judith Wright Clemmons and her husband Alfred of Albuquerque, N.M.; his son, Philip Wright and his wife Diane of Wichita, Kan.; grandchildren: Gregory T. Petre, Joel C. Wright and Lesley Wright Levine; great-grandchildren: Brittany E. Petre, Michael Petre, Dylan Stephens, Asher and Evan Levine and Gabriela Wright; his sister and her husband, Thelma and John Lansdown of Ponca City; and sister-in-law, Claribel Deda of Pratt, Kan. In addition, he is survived by several nieces and a nephew, including Ponca City residents Kay Anthony and Carol Green.
He was preceded in death by his brother and sister-in-law, Grover C. and Sue Wright; and his sister and her husband, Louise and Harold Allen; as well as his grandsons, Jeffrey D. Hester and Kevin M. Petre.
A peaceful, loving man of intelligence and integrity, Doc took great pride in his family who is his greatest legacy. We will all miss, and warmly remember, his compassion, wisdom, astute advice, and above all, his love. Godspeed, dear father, you will live in our hearts forever.
To all of you who remained faithful companions to the end, to his excellent caregivers at Via Christi Village, and to the caring staff at Image Care Hospice, we thank you.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Kenneth “Doc” Wright Memorial Fund at Albright United Methodist Church, 128 South Palm, Ponca City, OK 74601.
Services are under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel