Johnny, as he was known in high school, was born May 30, 1941, in Madisonville to late Augusta Mae Jackson and John Walter Wright. He passed away on Aug. 14, 2020,  after a battle with pulmonary fibrosis.   

Johnny is survived by his wife Joanne Lockhart Werner (they met his college freshman year and wed in 1964), his sister Mary Lu Mitchell (Wade) and his three children Mary Elizabeth Westbrook (Jack),  John Wright III (Ginny), Charles Wright (Christie) and his six grandchildren: Jackson, Laura, William, Katherine, Scott and Christopher.  

Johnny’s dad taught him the value of a dollar and an honest day’s work by plowing the fields of the family farm for 25 cents a day and lending a hand at the coal mining operation. He earned his Eagle Scout badge, was an All-State End at MHS in his senior year, and  helped lead the Maroons to an All-State Championship. He was inducted into the MHS's Athletic Hall-of-Fame.
 
John turned down a scholarship from Bear Bryant to play for Bobby Dodd at Georgia Tech.; and was a life-long Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Management; his fraternity was the Sigma Chi. 

He worked a short time with I.C. Railroad in Chicago; but he and Joanne’s yearning for a warmer climate brought them back to Atlanta.  John joined Safway Steel Scaffolds Co. of Georgia (Saf-T-Green), a family company co-founded by his father-in-law in 1939. He and family members grew the company in the scaffolding and shoring industry; it was sold in 1986 to the British conglomerate BET PLC. Johnny soon retired. 

Johnny was a “together forever” husband and an actively engaged father and a patient and ever-present source of comfort to his children. He was a BSA troop leader, coached youth soccer, hockey, and football. He was a handyman and skilled carpenter. John treasured his pet cats and koi fish.

He loved to cook breakfast, a tradition that he learned from his father and passed down to his children.

He and Joanne loved the outdoors. They completed many bicycle rides across Georgia; took cycling tours throughout North America and crossed the continental divide twice. Johnny was captain of his family and his pontoon boat the “Buzzy Bee” on Lake Chatuge. He most enjoyed spending time with his six grandchildren and mentoring them with profound nuggets of wisdom. His most remembered adage was "If it's to be, it's up to me." Indeed, he was a shining example of how to live life the "Wright" way. 

Due to the Covid-19, a graveside service with immediate family will be held at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations in John's name be made to the Georgia Tech Athletic Assoc. Alexander-Tharpe Fund.