Mitch Jameson Wright, age 48, of Sheffield, decided to challenge his wife’s final answer of no is a complete sentence when asked why he couldn’t have a sloth by asking God directly to overturn her decision on October 12, 2021. When we were married, no-one gave me a book on how to write your husband’s obituary 872 days later. I hope you will allow this broken-hearted writer to break tradition and share with you the Mitch that I knew and loved so much.
On the afternoon of July 6, 1973 in the Boaz-Albertville hospital, a tiny piece of heaven came down and joined Waylon and Sharon Wright to complete their family. Mitch was completely devoted to his parents and sought to duplicate the work ethics and morals every day of the father he cherished. He believed that the problems of this world could be cured by his mama’s zucchini bread and her vegetable soup. His devotion to his parents never faltered. He never outgrew them and spoke of them with the biggest smile always. Never one to pass up a funny meme, many of you were the recipient of Mitch’s sense of humor on Facebook. He considered all of his friends his family and I went from being a loner big city girl to having hundreds and hundreds of chosen family members. Armed with a vast knowledge of sloths, Pink, the Fast and Furious franchise, Survivor trivia and STD’s, Mitch continued pursuing knowledge long after the days of Mars Hill and UNA where he obtained his degree in Psychology. A Notre Dame fan, he told me in no uncertain terms that while I could still love my Mississippi State Bulldogs, I was now married and had to accept the Fighting Irish which I gladly did.
He worked at the Department of Public Heath with his best friend Rhonda. He was a Disease Intervention Specialist in STD’s and he took that role seriously. He was a paramedic in Florida for 20 years and spent time at ground zero in New York after 9/11. He loved what he did, but New York changed him and he retired from that field. We adopted his beloved bearded dragon Toretto on 9/11 so there was a better memory for him of that day. Some of his happiest times were at International Paper and Home Depot before he came to work for the state.
Mitch proposed in an unconventional way by giving me an Irish Claddagh ring and letting me decide how to wear it. It represents love, loyalty and friendship; something we had in abundance. We were married on May 24, 2019 in Spring Park by a waterfall and began building our life together. It wasn’t perfect, but it was authentic and vulnerable and that is the best gift I was ever given.
Mitch is preceded in death by his beloved grandparents O.C. and Virginia Green Wright and Clyde and Effie McClure Lee and step-grandmother Myrtle Fields Lee. He is survived by his parents Waylon and Sharon, his wife Katie, Toretto, Macie, Gypsy, Murphy Brown, Stitch, Bubba and Serius Black and countless precious friends and chosen family. Thank you all for loving Mitch, for accepting him, for holding space in this world for him. He always knew, I promise.
“Who knew life would be all it is today. Growth the source of my happiness and love its guiding force” – Mitch Wright
Mitch’s heart was very tender for all animals. You may make a donation in his name to the Lauderdale Animal Shelter to Chloe’s Fund. Donations may be made via PayPal under cloesfund2@gmail.com or may be mailed to the Lauderdale Animal Shelter at 3240 Roberson Road Florence Al 35630 or you may call 256-760-6676 to donate via credit card.
There will be a celebration of life announcement made soon.
