Ella Muriel Wright, 99, of Circleville, passed away Thursday, June 2, 2016, at Berger Hospital.
She was born Dec. 16, 1916, in Morgan County, the daughter of Riley and Anna (Reutinger) Kempton.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lawrence “Sam” Wright; her daughter, Rosemary Makalinaw; daughter-in-law, Koleen (Ewing) Wright; sisters, Cora Speakman, Mae Conaway and Charlotte Phillips; and brothers, William, Chester, Paul, John, Dexter, Donald, Herb and Verl Kempton.
Muriel was a graduate of Pickaway Twp. High School and retired from Orient State Hospital, where she was an LPN. She was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church and had been a volunteer for the Red Cross organizing youth to work in nursing homes.
Muriel enjoyed sewing and crafts and was interested in environmental issues. She had a passion for reading and genealogy and spent years researching family history, contributing to the publishing of “The Kempton Families in North America,” which is in the Library of Congress.
Muriel is survived by her loving family: son, Robert (Phyllis Eronimous) Wright; grandchildren, Tina (Greg) Go, Tony (Kellie Johnson) Makalinaw, Todd (Karen) Makalinaw, Ted (Melissa) Makalinaw, Tom (Kathryn) Wright and Gail (Steve) Wright; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; sisters-in-law, Esther Kempton and Amelia Kempton; several nieces and nephews; and very special friends and caregivers, Nancy and Keith Reeves.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 11, 2016, at Defenbaugh-Wise-Schoedinger Funeral Home with Chaplain Jim Ferrell officiating. Burial will be in Hitler-Ludwig Cemetery. Friends may call from 10 a.m. until the time of the service Saturday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37839, Boone, IA 50037-0839.
This article originally appeared on The Pickaway News Journal
