Gregory Chris Wright, age 57, died on Sunday, November 14, 2021, in Bountiful Utah, after a month-long battle with COVID-19.

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Greg was born on September 4, 1964 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He was the second son born to Theron Cleon Wright and Evelyn Piccola Christensen. Greg’s early childhood was spent in Calgary and then in White Rock, British Columbia, Canada.

The following passages are from Greg’s own personal history where he recounts his early life.

“I vaguely remember living in White Rock, British Columbia when I was four years old. My parents separated about then and my mother moved to Salt Lake City, Utah with us kids. Her sister, Marilyn was living there at the time and we moved in with them until she could find a place for us to live.

In the fifth grade, I became interested in World War 2 aircraft and built about two hundred model planes, sometimes staying up until three o’clock in the morning on a school night just to finish a model. My first ride in an aircraft was some years later when we were living in Kearns, Utah. A bishop in our stake had a private plane and offered to take me along. It was exhilarating and from then on I knew I had to learn to fly.

During a few summers, my older brother Tim and I would spend time with our Dad in Bellingham, Washington. One summer, Dad bought Tim and I a pair of mini bikes. We rode those bikes on every trail we could find. We had our scrapes, bumps, and bruises, but we always seemed to ride faster and harder.

In High School, I had an interest in photography. I would take my models and make dioramas of them and then take pictures of them. In my twelfth grade, I was one of four yearbook photographers for the Coppertonian at Bingham High in South Jordan, Utah.

Before my mission, I worked with two friends, Mike Reading and John Young in a Corvette shop. The owner would buy run down Stingrays and we would restore them. We did most everything together for a while, such as playing on the Bingham High Soccer team. We all restored our own cars, as well as two 1966 Ford Mustangs and a 1966 Chevy 11. I sold my mustang to go on an eighteen month mission to the Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Mission, serving in the Eastern Canadian Provinces from September 1984 to February 1986.

Shortly after returning, I moved to Washington State, where my dream to fly became a reality. I earned my Private Pilot certificate. I started to date Rhonda Diane Hall, one of my step sister’s friends, and we were married February 12, 1988. Rhonda worked for a medical insurance company while I attended Everett Community College during the day to be an aircraft technician and worked in an aircraft shop in the evening. Our son, Daniel Gregory, was born later that year. We soon moved to Greeley, Colorado so I could attend Emery Aviation College, where I earned my Commercial, Instrument, and Flight certificates. We then moved back to Washington, where I worked for a while doing flight instructing and piloting charter flights around the Northwest.”

Upon returning to Bellingham, they purchased Rhonda’s grandmother’s tiny white rental bungalow on Meridian Street in Bellingham, where they added Katelyn Patricia, and Selina Evelyn, to their family. Soon, the family outgrew the small home and they moved to Ferndale, Washington, where Jaren Michael was born and completed the family.

The family was sealed in the South Jordan, Utah Temple, marking one of the happiest times in their lives.

One of Greg’s favorite jobs was for an electrical company where he was able to fly the crew to the job sites located in the San Juan Islands. But perhaps the best of both worlds collided when he was able to pilot skydivers in exchange for skydiving privileges (of course, none of us are sure who piloted the plane when Greg was the one doing the jumping).

Greg enjoyed target shooting, arms collecting, ammunition reloading, and became quite skilled at building firearms. Greg had a great sense of humor and never let an opportunity pass to joke with friends and family. He has been known to meet up with friends at the gun range with dozens of milk jugs filled with suspiciously-colored liquid to be used for target practice. Greg had a beautiful voice, he loved singing, and never missed an opportunity to sing karaoke.

Greg is survived by his former spouse Rhonda Diane Hall, his four children, Daniel Gregory, Katelyn Patricia (David Munoz), Selina Evelyn, and Jaren Michael. Grandchildren Scarlet Wright, Ella Mae Wright, Emma Lynn Wright, and Samuel Gregory Munoz. Mother, Evelyn Piccola Christensen (George Lish). Siblings: Timothy Louis Wright, JodieAnn Michelle Wright (Jeff Hansen), Rena Marie Wright-Brown (Lee Brown), Darren Evan Wright (Julienne Heimdal), Laurel Grace Rasmussen Rigdon (Scott Rigdon), and nieces and nephews: Kelly, Tim, Travis, Darian, Janessa, Avery, Ellis, and Harry.

Greg was preceded in death by his grandparents Cleon and Martha Wright of Cardston, Alberta, and Ralph and Grace Christensen of Stirling, Alberta, and by his father, Theron Cleon Wright of Mount Vernon Washington.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 1:00pm at Memorial Lake Hills Mortuary and Cemetery, 10055 S, State St, Sandy, UT.

Friends and family may gather immediately prior from 11am to 1pm. Interment will take place immediately following the funeral service at the same location as the funeral.

The family is extremely grateful to all of the health care professionals at Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful for their dedicated service.