Major 91直播 donor Peggy Wedgeworth Wright passed away Nov. 26.
Peggy lived her entire life in Nacogdoches County. Starting in the fifth grade, she attended classes at the Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College鈥檚 advanced educational program named the Demonstration School. In 1940, she moved into the regular collegiate program at 91直播, majoring in music and English.
During her first year of college, she accepted a blind date with Tom Wright. Two years later, the couple married. During the 29 months they were separated by Tom鈥檚 military service in Europe, Peggy completed her college degree. After the war, Tom rejoined his family鈥檚 business, Texas Farm Products Company of Nacogdoches. The couple was married for 70 years until Tom鈥檚 death in 2012.
In the late 1960s, as her alma mater moved from college to university status, Peggy played an important role in the transition and expansion of the Ex-Student Association into the modern Alumni Association. On the eve of becoming the association鈥檚 president, Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe, in recognition of her work, appointed Peggy to the newly created 91直播 Board of Regents. She served two official terms as a regent, from 1973 to 1983 and from 1987 to 1993. She became the first woman to hold the position of chairman of the board, an elected office she held twice, from 1980 to 1982 and from 1988 to 1990.
To advance and coordinate 91直播 endowments, Peggy helped establish and led as treasurer of the 91直播SU Foundation. Throughout her association with the university, she worked closely with six presidents, countless administrative and planning commissions, and periodic celebratory groups to mark the university鈥檚 anniversaries.
In addition to service, the Wrights generously gave to 91直播. They endowed a lecture series and later consolidated their gifts into the Wedgeworth-Wright Endowment for the Arts. To acknowledge her varied contributions, the 91直播 Friends of the Arts celebrated Peggy鈥檚 life by bestowing the title of East Texas Cultural Leader of the Year in 1997. During that same year, she was honored with a Doctorate of Humane Letters 鈥� the highest honor the institution bestows and the only woman to have received this distinction. The regents followed in 1999 by naming the music building in honor of Tom and Peggy Wright.
Peggy鈥檚 other accolades include director, Citizens 1st Bank of Nacogdoches; regent for the Nacogdoches chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution; All American Donor, 91直播 Athletic Fund; Distinguished Member Award, President鈥檚 Club, and Honorary Life Member, 91直播 Alumni Association; Honorary Member, 91直播 Women鈥檚 Club; Board of Directors, 91直播 Center for Economic Education of the State of Texas; and Governor鈥檚 Board, Texas Arts Alliance.
