Obituary of John Edward Wright

John Edward “Ted” Wright 2/18/1923 – 9/27/2008 Author, lecturer, WWII veteran, consummate friend, husband, and counselor, Ted Wright left this Earth peacefully to join his Savior after a long illness. Ted leaves behind his beloved wife and partner of almost 19 years (Kacey Sack-Wright), sons Anthony (Ina), John, Phillip (Rita), David (Ann), and Trent (Alisha), daughters Nancy (Ray) and Justine (Stella), 16 grandchildren as well as 6 great-grandchildren. He lived with his wife Kacey (whom he described as “the love of my life”) in Port Orchard for the last 11 years, where he enjoyed doing interviews, writing, gardening, enjoying the beauty of the outdoors, and sharing his knowledge with those in need. Ted Wright grew up in London, England during a period of violent change in this century. A survivor of the World War II bombing of his city, he was active in search and rescue during the day and slept in a bomb shelter each night. His own home was destroyed in the third month of the bombing in London’s Chelsea district. He enlisted in the Army at seventeen years of age and spent 4 1/2 years in combat in the infantry with the British 8th Army as part of both the South Staffordshire and Green Howard regiments. He engaged in combat from Tobruk to El Alamien to Anzio. He served both as a weapons specialist as well as periods of time engaged on reconnaissance assignments with Special Forces under General Montgomery. His unit was attached to Gen. Mark Clark’s 5th. Army Corps at Anzio when he saw service with United States Ranger units before an unfavorable encounter with a tank on the way to Rome ended his military career. As a civilian, he studied and became a Physical Therapist with specialization in Sports Medicine and was chosen as Honorable Team Attendant to the British 1948 Olympic Team. He excelled in his chosen profession for 30 years before retiring from the field to pursue other interests. In 1980, a chance radio broadcast reporting a small earthquake in Southern California changed his life and resulted in his first book, Survive, I Dare You, the Earthquake Awaits. Directed toward Californians, Ted brought all of his wartime preparedness, as well as his search and rescue experiences to the fore in book form to assist anyone who chose to prepare for the sudden, unexpected events that happen all over this planet. Building his reputation through radio, television, and live appearances led to national publication of his second major work, Wright’s Complete Disaster Survival Manual. Since its 1993 publication, this book, as well as Ted’s “Getting Ready for Survival” Cassettes, and his Organization of Prepared Neighborhoods (OPN) Plan, have been listed as a recommended resource in the 1997 United States Fire Administration Resource Directory and could be implemented nationally if called upon. The plan is strategically based on the WWll civilian preparedness procedures used in London to prepare and endure the Blitz. This resource could educate the citizens in “Self Help Civil Defense” as advocated by the Government during the cold war. Ted’s book, Wright’s Complete Disaster Survival Manual was also a FEMA recommended text for higher education use and has been the center point for educational programs for Safety and Preparedness curricula throughout this country as well as Australia, Japan, South America and Canada. Ted also produced a three hour audio cassette production titled “The Countdown,” an illustration based on Ted’s own experiences reflected in novelette form what could happen if the power went off. Ted completed a later work, Ted Wright’s Family Safety and Preparedness Handbook, which included planning for the uncertain potential of man and nature’s wrath; all of the material written at that time is prophetically viable for today’s war situation. He was also commissioned to conduct two separate 11-city tours to educate the public in his proven preparedness methods. This experience resulted in a 140 minute video entitled Preparing For Survival and addresses terrorist as well as and nuclear safety issues (including safe rooms and decontamination methods for the average citizen) as well as general preparedness methods in these areas. Ted firmly believed he was put on this Earth to help others. He continued to so until the day he passed. He loved people, especially high school students with special needs. Until the onset of his illness, he was a very active volunteer at Bremerton High School, providing assistance in both the classroom and safety committee. He will be missed far more than words can say. The funeral service will be held at St. Gabriels Church at 1150 Mitchell Avenue in Port Orchard on Saturday November 1, 2008 at 11:00am. Reception will follow.