John William (Bill) Wright was born in Eastland, Texas, November 2, 1923, and moved to Lubbock as an infant. He attended public schools and graduated from Lubbock High School in 1941.
At Lubbock High School he played on the 1939 Cinderella State Championship football team and was a co-captain in 1941. He taught swimming and lifesaving at the old Tumble-In swimming pool located in McKenzie Park during those summers. He was an Eagle Scout and served as a Junior Assistant Scout Master.
Bill attended the University of Oklahoma where he was a member of the Navy V-12 program. He played fullback and linebacker on the Sooner’s football team. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1944. He was a member of honorary engineering fraternities, Tau Beta Pi, Pi Tau Sigma and Sigma Tau.
Upon graduation, he received a commission in the Navy and joined the Seabees. He served in the Philippines and then China where he was a heavy equipment officer of a Seabee battalion. He received an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1945, and returned to Lubbock.
He married Corinne Payne September 23, 1946, in the First Christian Church of Lubbock, Texas. They had three children, William Braxton Wright and wife, Beth of Lubbock, John Stephen Wright and wife, Lea of Amarillo, and Paula Wright Key and husband, Charles of Lubbock; seven grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. Bill had one sister, Lou Pharr of Dallas.
He worked for Humble Oil & Refining Company as an engineer in East Texas and for the parent company Standard Oil of New Jersey in New York City for 15 years. He resigned from Humble rather than move the family to Libya and returned to Lubbock in 1960 where he formed a partnership in the equipment surplus business with his brother-in-law, Ken Pharr. After Mr. Pharr’s death in 1972, Bill liquidated the surplus business and formed a new company, Associated Supply Co., Inc. known across Texas today as ASCO Equipment Company. He served actively as the Chairman of the Board until he was 93 years old.
Bill was a member of the First Christian Church where he served as an Elder and was Chairman of the Board for three terms. He taught the Men’s Sunday school class and was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner.
Bill was a member of the original Lubbock National Bank Board of Directors.
He loved fishing, playing golf, and spending time with family.
