James Clinton “Jay” Wright

November 30, 2016

James Clinton Wright, 75, was called home Sunday, November 20, 2016, at Cox South Medical Center in Springfield, Missouri.

J.C., or simply Jay as he was known to most, was born the second son of George and Marie Wright on May 26, 1941, in Springfield, Missouri. His early life was spent on a farm near Dadeville, Missouri, where, in 1959, he graduated from high school with the other 7 students in his class.

J.C. left Dade County in 1960 and moved to Kansas City, where he worked as a production foreman with the Certainteed Company. In 1963 he married the love of his life, Cora Elizabeth Plumb, of Greenfield, Missouri, a union that would last for the next 53 years.

A lifelong hunter and fisherman, he spent his free time pursuing his true passion, of being outdoors in nature. He was an “analog” man living in our digital world. The pace of the modern, technological world never suited Jay. He believed in a quieter way of living. When asked why he never carried a cell phone, he would respond, “If anybody needs to get ahold of me, they know where to find me.” And that was true. Dilday’s Mill, the Friend Bridge or Ruark Bluff would all be safe bets.

J.C. was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was a young man, a fact that most people would have never known, because he rarely mentioned it. But that was Jay, he never allowed life’s challenges to limit him. “It will feel better, when it quits hurting,” was his response when those close to him would speak of their aches and pains. Although it sounded cold and uncaring, it was really quite the opposite, it was a challenge, a dare if you will.

He believed that life was what you made of it and a little dose of perspective was just the prescription for what ailed you. J.C. lived life without sweating the small stuff and reminded those he knew and loved that it’s almost all small stuff. His calm, steady demeanor served as inspiration, support and comfort to all who knew him.

Fisherman, hunter, outdoorsman, pilot, waterskier, mechanic, friend, uncle, brother, husband, grandpa were all words that could be used to describe Jay. These were titles that he earned, because he was great at all of them.

He knew that in life you get back what you put in. If we all followed his example, the world would be a better place, but if you tried to tell him that, he would grin, perhaps even blush a little bit and say something like “I didn’t do anything” or “Thanks aren’t necessary”. He was a humble giant and silent man of great faith. There arent enough words or labels to fully capture the man that he was…but then again we just knew him as Dad.

J.C. was preceded in death by his parents, George and Marie, and brother, Harold. He is survived by his loving wife, Cora Elizabeth “Beth”; son, James Mark; daughter, Kim Elizabeth Scheerer and her husband, Todd; grandsons, James Nicholas and Jacob Alexander Wright; granddaughters, Hayley Elizabeth and Hannah Makenzie Scheerer; and a multitude of extended family, friends and countless fishing buddies.
Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 26, 2016, in Greenfield Funeral Chapel. Burial followed in Greenfield Cemetery.
The family received friends on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. until service time in the funeral chapel.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Dade County Senior Citizens Center or to the Greenfield First Christian Church. Online condolences may be shared at www.greenfieldfuneralchapel.com. Services were under the care of Greenfield Funeral Chapel.