Kathleen "Kathy" Doloris Wright

Kathleen Doloris Wright, (Kathy) passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends Tuesday sharing stories and laughter.

Kathy was born in Juneau, Alaska to William & Vera Maier. She was the youngest of their 4 children, Margita, Frank, Rudolf, and Kathleen. Her first years were spent living in a house on the Back Loop Road in the' capital city of the territory of Alaska, about a mile from the Mendenhall Glacier, and 12 miles from Downtown Juneau. Her father was a repair man at a local gold mine. He had helped to build the hospital she was born in.

From the time she was little she developed a life-long affinity and love of animals, but especially cats. Over the years she worked at animal shelters, and took in many stray animals, cats, dogs, chickens, a tortoise, guinea pigs, hamsters, bunnies, fish, a chipmunk, and birds, She had a zest for life, and fun. She loved bright colors, and embraced them in her own art.

At the age of 4 she moved to Washington with her mother and sister where they lived with her Aunt Hellen, and Uncle Kurt. Her mother passed away when she was 7. She remained living with her aunt and uncle. Later they all moved to Apple Valley California, where she lived through her junior year of high school. Her final year of high school she moved back to Juneau, Alaska and lived with her brother Frank, sister-in-law Judy, and niece Frith. In Alaska she developed a love for hiking, fishing and the outdoors. She graduated from Juneau Douglas High School (JDHS), where John and Jeff, her sons, and her granddaughter Angela later graduated from. Her oldest great grandchild Cherish is currently attending high school there. After high school she attended art college in Oakland, California. While attending art college she met and married James Wright. They had three sons, John, Jeffrey and Michael. Years later she took her boys on a road trip through Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon where they settled down and found a new home. After living in Oregon for 2 years they moved and eventually ended up back in Juneau, Alaska. While living in Juneau, ,she and her boys lived on a portion of the land her father had owned, that had been kept in the family. She worked for the Forest Service in the Federal Building, and Old Dairy Road. Kathy loved to enter contests including Publisher's Clearing House, where she was a one-time winner of a small prize.

She passed her love of contests on to her boys who entered to win a Dodge Omni filled with Pepsi. They guessed the exact number of Pepsi's in the car, and won both the car and the Pepsi. Although she was a lifetime Coke drinker, she switched to Pepsi until they drank all of the Pepsi in the car.

She lived in Juneau for 3 years then went South to attend school in Oregon. She met and briefly married Ted Thrailkill. Later she temporarily returned to Juneau and then she and her two youngest sons moved to Washington. After her sons returned to Alaska she moved to California. A few years later she moved back to Juneau after the death of her youngest son Michael. There she lived with her son Jeff. After 6 years she moved to Idaho where her son John and daughter in law Lucy, and two grandchildren Angela and Nicolas lived. She enjoyed the warmer weather, working at the local school and spending time with her grandchildren, friends and family.

Kathy loved to garden, and especially loved flowers. After living in Moscow, Idaho for 14 years she moved to other regions of the state settling in Driggs, Idaho where she lived at Teton Peaks Assisted Living then later moved to the Caring Hearts home in Pocatello, Idaho, where she was loved by many caregivers, and friends.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, aunt and uncle, son Michael, brothers Frank & Rudy, and her nephew Neil Carlson. She is survived by her sister, Margita Gunter, her son John Wright (Lucy Nelson}, son Jeffrey Wright (Karen), Grandchildren Lucy Fink, Angela and Nicolas Wright, and great grandchildr n Cherish and Logan Fink. Plus Sister-In-Law Judith Maier, and niece Lori Jones (Darwin}, nephew, Craig Carlson (Brenda), and nieces Frith Maier, Kimberly Worley (Kevin), Anya Maier (Hank Lentfer), Mihkel Kryman, and great nieces and nephews, and great, great nieces.

A service will be held on October 20th at 10 am at the Caring Hearts Assisted Living Center, 3480 East Center Street, Building 3, Pocatello, Idaho. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations could be made to the animal shelter of your choice in support of Kathy’s love of animals. Letters of bereavement could be mailed to Kathy’s family at PO Box 33777, Juneau, AK 99803.

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