We have no doubt he took to the controls to fly himself that final leg to heaven and landed his plane as smoothly as has ever been performed into the heavenly hanger on his cattle, hay and big deer ranch in our Lord’s eternal domain.

He was a husband, father, grandfather, friend, pilot, Lt. Colonel, petrochemical executive, rancher, distinguished alumnus, and native son of Texas with Hondo as his chosen hometown. Larry lived a big life on his own terms with many different “acts” as he called them, all under strict disciplinary control with an attention to detail that could be both maddening and impressive at the same time. His life was a high bar for his sons to follow; we’ve done our best to emulate the example he never failed to model.

Larry met a Rockport girl, Shirley Faye Harrell, at a Garner State Park dance during college. They married and had three sons: L. Frank Wright Jr. (wife Laura), Stephan Grady Wright (wife Kathy) and Clay Sanford Wright (wife Kathyrn). They were married for 47 years until Shirley’s passing from cancer in July of 2004. As a widower he re-connected with a widow from Hondo, Barbara Graff Schroder, they married and enjoyed 19 happy years together living the ranch life until her passing in September of 2023. Larry, relished his dual-citizenship in both the Wright and Schroder families and these were truly golden years of happiness for both of them.

Larry’s father was in road construction and that meant moves for new projects. Larry attended six elementary schools; three different high schools and he had to adapt to what he called a nomadic lifestyle. He completed high school at Hondo High with a Senior class of 30 students.

In Hondo, his father operated the Chaseda Ranch owned by an executive of the Portland Cement Co. Larry and his brothers John and Fred were the ranch hands, it was here that he saw the pilots training at Hondo Field, circling the ranch each day. He said that while on a tractor in a hay field in the heat, dealing with dust, chaff and bugs he developed a burning desire to fly.

To fly as an officer he needed a degree, so he put himself through what is now Texas State University, working on road construction crews and driving buses for the San Marcos Military Academy. He made ends meet by taking loans to finish, nearly quitting many times due to money issues.

He earned a degree in Physics, graduated with a BS and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force. He entered into service in 1956, attended pilot training, and also completed air traffic control school with stops in Hondo, Laredo, Biloxi Misofficer sissippi and San Antonio.

He ended active duty as a detachment commander of an Airways and Air Communications station at Brook Field, San Antonio. He left the service in August of 1959 and returned to San Marcos where he studied Chemistry, completing all coursework sans the thesis. He worked as a dorm director in Speck Hall while married and with two young sons. He joined The Dow Chemical Company in June 1961 following friends from college already working at Dow Freeport, David Swisher, Debs Cofer and Don Peiser.

His first job in Dow’s Texas Division was in the pilot plant department working primarily in the areas of epoxy resins, solid rocket fuels, oxychlorination solvents, styrene monomer and several other products produced there. He spent 15 years in Process Research rising to Laboratory Director for solvents process research. From Research he spent time as the Safety Director for Texas Division and then into Manufacturing assignments including management responsibility for Purchasing and Engineering. He returned to Research in 1980 as the Texas Division Research director.

In addition, he continued flying in the Air Force reserves, retiring as a Lt. Colonel before returning in 1981 to Midland, Michigan, as the General Manager of Functional Products and Systems Product Department.

He returned to Texas in 1984 as the Vice President of Texas Operations serving six years in that capacity and served as the Chairman of the Texas Chemical Council in 1990 representing over 100 chemical companies in Texas.

He returned to Midland, Michigan, in 1990 as the Vice President of US Area Operations including Aviation which was always a joy for him. In 1992 Texas State University recognized him as a Distinguished Alumnus and counted his work experience as his thesis and granted him a Masters in Chemistry. In 1993 he became a corporate and Executive Vice President responsible for global manufacturing and engineering. He served in this capacity until retiring at the end of 1995 with over 34 years of service to The Dow Chemical Company. He converted seamlessly back to his ranch ways and lived the balance of his life in the Texas Hill Country on his ranches.

To his immediate family he was known as Bud or Buddy which you hear when visiting his sister Lynette Wright Biediger and her husband Claude Biediger. In addition, he is survived by his sisters-in -law Joanna Wright, Gradene Wright, Jerry Lynn Harrell Johnson, Sue Harrell Keeter and dear relative Joan Bradford. Nine grandchildren, Lucas Wright, (wife Cydney), Jordan Wright, (wife Rachel), Alyssa Wright Marquette, (husband Josh), Samantha Wright Bowman, (husband Blake), Kameron Wright, Taylor Wright, Rebecca Wright, Will Wright, Austin Wright, the Schroder family and his nephews and nieces also survive him.

He is reunited with his parents, his wives, brothers John A. and Fred C. Wright, close as a brother first cousin J.W. Bradford, and brother-inlaw Richard C. Happner, who was his partner fighting the never-ending battle against mesquite and cedar, raising registered Beefmaster cattle, growing trophy deer and hay. No two men ever fenced as many pastures as Uncle Richard and Larry did together.

They personally tested the limits of pumping water uphill by running black pipe like spaghetti strings to their livestock water trough system that ensured forever full employment repairing line leaks.

Special thanks to the members of the W-5 Ranch led by Tommy Rozas and Robert Pagel. As Larry decelerated his ranch activities, they graciously took over, along with the lease members, to improve the ranch water system, hunting program, managed game counts, deer harvest and MLD permit activities.

Larry was bigger than life in so many ways and was the master of command and control. Tough and exacting but polite and respectful to all persons regardless of their station in life. He treated everyone as equals and led by example. Never did he require a task he was not willing to do himself or to stand alongside to be in the thick of it with you. Generosity was a core competency; he donated to and supported freely causes that promoted what is good and worthy and had value in this life. He was honest and ethical as sure as the sun rises each day and consistent in character to the end.

The family thanks all the earthly angels involved in Larry’s care. Arbor House of Marble Falls management, Rhonda Tedford and Courtney Taylor; Arbor House care staff, Annette, Gina, Skylar, Maki, Sasha, Laura, Ana, Havannah and Brently; Dr. Sixian Welch, Dr. Leo Tynan, Rose Sanchez; Melissa Wade of Altus Hospice; Cornerstone Caregivers Tess Bailey, Noel Easterwood-Stark, and Ricardo Arismendes; and his most special compadre, Victoria Mendez, who could influence Larry positively better than anyone in the family. Bless all of you as Larry was well loved and cared for until his graduation.

Memorial service to be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday January 18th in Mason, Texas, at Saint Paul Lutheran Church.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at masonfuneralhome. net Arrangements have been entrusted to Mason Funeral Home.