1924 – 2015

AUBURN — Rowena “Red” J. Wright, 91, of Sabattus passed away after a brief illness at the Androscoggin Hospice House in Auburn.

She was born in Wilton on Feb. 14, 1924, the daughter of the late Gerry and Caroline (McLaughlin) Swett. She attended local schools and graduated from Wilton Academy in 1942. On June 22, 1942, she married her husband, Wallace Wright, and together, they raised their family of two children.

Rowena worked many years at Shaw’s supermarket, checking out the first customer in the Auburn store, before she retired from full-time work. She later became a lunch aide at Longley Elementary School until the age of 80, when she stopped working.

Red was a person that loved adventure, excitement and taking daredevil chances. On her 90th birthday, she jumped on the back of a snowmobile for a nice ride and had plans to skydive. Being outside and camping was always a pleasurable event for Red, and she spent 37 years at Muskegon Campground in Oxford. While there, she would ride in the back of the race cars from Oxford Plains Speedway and make trips around the campground.

She was an Eastern Star and American Legion Auxiliary member for over 70 years. In all of those years, she only missed one Memorial Day parade. No matter the time of year, you could count on Red having some Drumstick ice cream cones and any kind of chocolate.

She is survived by her daughter, Shelia and her husband, Francisco Ortiz, of New Jersey; four grandchildren, Arrica Wright Cooper and her husband, Robert Cooper, Natasha Wright, Jennifer Meza, and Joshua W. and his wife, Natalia Ortiz; and three great-grandchildren, Alexandre Meza, Devon Meza and Sydney W. Cooper. Rowena was predeceased by her husband; her son, Gerry Wright in 2010; and her sister, Delcena Welch.

She will be missed by many friends and family members.

You may offer your condolences to Red’s family online at www.thefortingrouplewiston.com.