WILMINGTON — Retired Master Sgt. Cleveland M. Wright, 85, left this earth to join the celestial lodge and great architect of the universe Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018. Brethren Cleve was a U.S. Army veteran of Korea and Vietnam. He became a master warrior for God and is described best as a gentle, kind, loving and influential laborer, with greatest of these being love.
Cleve was born Jan. 11, 1933, in his beloved Tabor City, son of the late Elbert C. Wright and Mary A. Wright.
Retired Master Sgt. Cleveland M. Wright (Cleve or Sonny) served in the U.S. Army on active duty for 24 years. During his military tenure, he participated in two tours in Germany, two tours of the Korean War and two in Vietnam. Among his decorations, included are the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Assignments in the U.S. included Atlanta, Georgia, Fort Benning, Georgia, and ROTC instructor at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tennessee. Cleve “Coach Wright” led his Tech rifle team to be NRA National & International Collegiate Champs. Upon his retirement in September 1973, he instructed ROTC as a Wildcat at New Hanover High School until his second retirement in 1985.
Cleve is survived by his beautiful, ever-loving bride of 62 years, Mrs. Dorothy Adams Wright; two sons, Elbert O’Neal Wright (Jill) of Wilmington, Edward Clayton Wright (Donna) of Willard, his sweet ‘Rose Mary’ Rose Wright Potter (Patrick) of Wilmington; four grandchildren, Alisha Wright Rivenbark (Jamie), Clayton Maloy Wright (Julia), Elizabeth McKenna Wright (Daniel) and Daniel Wright Potter; five great-grandchildren, Karaline Styron, Katherine Styron, Kinsley Wright, Jamey Lynn Rivenbark and Maxton Maloy Wright.
In retirement, Cleve enjoyed fishing, family and more fishing. Cleve was a humble and simple man with a legacy of silently picking up others whose hope had faded, thus leaving behind a trail of kindness. His greatest love of all was his beloved bride Dorothy. His days labor is done and tour of duty on this earth has come to an end.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 15, at Coble Ward-Smith Funeral Home, 3915 Oleander Drive, Wilmington. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, Nov. 16, at the funeral home. Graveside services will immediately follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park on Shipyard Blvd., Wilmington. The family would like to invite all back to Coble Ward-Smith at 4 p.m. Friday to enjoy a catered meal and celebrate the life of our hero, Master Sgt. Cleveland M. Wright.
Share online condolences with the family at Coble Ward-Smith Funeral & Cremation Service.
