Meldon Jay Wright was born on November 25, 1938 in Hinckley, Utah to Ivan Morris and Hilda Castina Christensen Wright. He attended Hinckley High School until it closed his Freshman year, and graduated from Delta High School in 1957. Following High School, he attended Snow College before serving a Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Western States Mission. After returning home from his mission, he attended Salt Lake Community College, where he became certified as a "Master Barber". During that same time period he met and married Sharleen Webb on April 21, 1962, in the Manti LDS Temple.
After his marriage and completion of his education in Salt Lake City, he and Sharleen moved to Hinckley where they have lived ever since. Jay worked in a variety of professions through the years, he worked for Brooklawn Creamery (where he met Sharleen), for the telephone company, doing Commercial Drilling with Clyde Stevens, the West Millard Coop, doing commercial spraying, Sugarville Feeders, and finally as a Water Master for the Deseret Irrigation Company. Throughout his life he always had a love for farming. He helped his father with the family farm for much of his life and eventually purchased 160 acres of farmland Northwest of Hinckley.
Jay had great faith and served in many positions in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints including full-time missionary (as mentioned above), Scoutmaster, High Priest Group Leader, and as a Church Service Missionary working in the Addiction Recovery Program alongside Sharleen. He has always had a love for his country and for his community and has spent many hours working on the Church farm and helping neighbors in a time of need.
Jay enjoyed life and had a great sense of humor. Some of his favorite things were hunting, bowling, BYU Sports, gardening, and time with his family. Jay passed away peacefully at age 80 on October 26, 2019, in Delta.
Jay is survived by his wife: Sharleen; 6 sons and 2 daughters: Bryan (Janina), Salt Lake City; Russell (Shelly), Delta; Jayleen Hoggard, Delta; David, Salt Lake City; Brent (Carrie), Buckeye, AZ; Merrill (Pamela), Ann Arbor, MI; Anthony (Terra), Hinckley; Joleen Harris (Matthew), St. George; 28 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren; as well as 2 sisters: Lola Farnsworth and Corma Evans, both in Springville. He was preceded in death by his parents, 3 brothers: Ivan Dee Wright, Boyd Christensen Wright and Lawrence Kay Wright; sister: Verla Dean Wright Williams; and two grandsons.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 2, at 1:00 pm, at the Hinckley LDS Stake Center, 188 North Main St. Viewings will be held Friday, November 1, 7:00-8:00 pm, at the Nickle Mortuary; and Saturday, 11:30-12:40, prior to the service. Burial will be in the Hinckley Cemetery.
