Caribou- Freeman H. Wright died April 26, 2015 at the Caribou Maine Veterans' Home after battling prostate cancer. He was born March 16, 1922 in Connor , the first son of the late Charles and Lillian (Sparks) Wright Jr. Freeman graduated from Caribou High School Class of 1940. He married his high school sweetheart Leona Hebert on December 22, 1941 in Caribou. He started out working for his Uncle Harry Wright in his machine shop in Caribou. Then he went on to work in the Todd Bath Shipyard before being drafted in 1942. Mr. Wright served with the 1st BTN HQ 398 Inf Reg 100th Army Infantry Division from Dec 15, 1942 through Dec 10, 1945 as a radio operator serving in Germany, and France. He served in the Battle of the Bulge. One of his greatest honors was being called up to fly with other WW II Veterans on the Honor Flight New England in June 2014 to Washington, DC to the WW II Memorial Wall. After the war he returned home to Portland and moved his family back to Caribou. He worked for Northern Sales and Service from 1950-1975 in the body shop. In 1954 he suffered a traumatic injury resulting in the loss of his leg. After rehabilitating in Togus VA for months he returned to the garage as their body shop foreman. In 1975 the new Caribou Vocational Center was built and he went on to become their first auto body instructor working for them until he retired in1987. During this time he took up a hobby of writing the memorials for those that died in his church. These writing have become a part of the Caribou Public Library and he was listed as a historian of collecting and writing Caribou's history. This tribute spanned for over 25 years. He was a faithful member of the Caribou United Baptist Church since 1955, and baptized in 1956. He was honored as a lifetime honorary deacon in 2003. In his early years he and Leona ran the Christian Servicemen's Center for our local military. Freeman was a true servant to others always by lending a hand even into his 90's. Freeman built the metal cross with his hands that hangs behind the church's altar today. He was an avid fisherman and hunter and there was very little that could keep him from spending a day in the woods or on the water. Mr. Wright was predeceased by his wife of 56 years Estelle Leona Wright on March 9, 1998, an infant son in 1946, a brother Vernon Wright, sisters Violet Norsworthy, Julia Tracy, Rosella Hewitt, Pearl Wright; daughter-in-law Eva Wright, and best friend Marge Gagnon. He is survived by three daughters and sons in law; Gloria and Duane Mishler of Stillwater, NY, Cindy and Don Blanchette of Woodland, and Lynn and Roger Haines of Caribou One son, Freeman (Sonny) Wright Jr. of Tucson, AZ and friend Ellen Black of Fredericton, NB. One Brother, Ervin Wright of Cheshire, CT and a sister in law Gloria Hebert of Caribou. 11 Grandchildren- Stephen, Mark, and Cindy Mishler, Carol Sue (Mishler) Foster, Michael and David Mishler, Kristopher and Matthew Blanchette, Melissa (Haines) Scott, Samantha (Haines) Nichols, and Audrey Spencer. 12 Great Grandchildren; Erin and Zachary Foster, Rachael (Mishler) Helwig, Judith (Mishler) Turner, Josiah Mishler, Logan, Carter and Sabine Blanchette, Leah, Cole, and Jason Spencer and Graham Nichols, 6 Great Great Grandchildren; William ,Rebecca, Hannah, and Andrew Helwig, Jeremiah, and Jonathan Turner, many nieces and nephews. Calling hours will be at the Caribou United Baptist Church Friday, May 1 from 6:00-9:00 PM where funeral services will be held 2:00pm Saturday, May 2, 2015 with Pastor Troy Heald and Rev. Ron Rosser officiating. Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery. Donations in Freeman's memory are encouraged to be given to the Caribou United Baptist Church Freeman & Estelle Wright Memorial Fund 74 High Street Caribou, Maine 04736, or to the Honor Flight New England PO Box 16287 Hooksett, NH 03106 to allow other WW II Veterans to be able to visit the WW II Memorial Wall. The family would like to thank the Gagnon family, Erdine, Lumina, Lela, Cheryl, Danny, and Brent for sharing their family with our father as his second family. To Gloria Williams, his caregiver from Senior Domestics, that allowed our father to be able to stay home this last year. To Dr. Flynn, Dr. Piper, Dr. Espinosa, Cary Medical Center, the Oncology Clinic, and the Maine Veterans Home for the wonderful care given to our father. And thank you to his fishing buddy Carl Sjoberg for your faithfulness in caring for your dear friend through his illness this year.
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