John David Wright, 82, of Beckville, Texas passed away Sunday evening July 7, 2024 in Carthage. John David Wright was born May 3, 1942 in Paris, Texas to the late John D. and Virginia Hargrove Wright. John David grew up and attended school in Talco, Texas and graduated with the class of 1960. He continued his education at Freed-Hardeman University in Tennessee where he earned a Master's degree in Biblical Theology in the Old and New Testament and later earned a Doctorate of Science in Counseling. His love of God and the Bible was shared as he preached for many Church of Christ congregations for over fifty years while also working in construction. As a teenager he loved the rodeo and was successful at bull dogging, steer wrestling and roping. After college, his love of the gospel inspired his preaching, teaching and spreading the gospel with everyone with whom he came into contact, including the foreign countries of Ghana, West Africa, Mexico and Jamaica. John David worked in Mexico during the 1990's and helped establish the School of Preaching in Queretaro, Mexico. He and his wife Shirley were members of the Sojourners where they traveled to Alaska and Montana helping various congregations. John David will be remembered for his kind heart, infectious laughter and love for life in Christ. And one of his favorite verses that he lived by is: "A soft answer turneth away wrath …" Proverbs 15:1.

Mr. Wright is also preceded in death by Robert Wright, Mayra Wright and Shane Wright.

Survivors include his loving wife, Shirley Campbell-Wright; siblings, Camellia Wright Stephenson, Sue Wright Currey and husband David, Doug Wright, Karen Wright and Johnny Jones, Mona Wright and Buster Allen, Scott Wright, Marta Wright Rhoades, Todd and Shelia Wright, Laura Wright and JP Kernan; children, Donnette Wright and Scotty Goates, Milissia Wright and Royce Graham, John David Wright, II, and Wade Wright; step-children, Jason Campbell, Joel and Mandy Campbell, Robby and Leslie Campbell, Danny and Kim Stevens, Sherry and Rick Stephenson, and Terry and Carolyn Stevens; grandchildren, Morgan and Jordan Wright, Malorie and Cody Glover, Dakota and Brandon Elsasser, Croix Parrot, Grayson Goates, Mahryah and Nicholas Gannon, Jordan and Amber Jones, Jericho and Gabriella Jones, Noah Jones, Presley Wright and Zach Squyers, Mason and Abigail Campbell, Clay Campbell, Taylor Campbell, Brinley Campbell, Liam Campbell, Madelyn Campbell, Mitchell and Sheyenne Whitaker. Numerous other grandchildren and great grandchildren along with many nieces, nephews, friends and extended family members also survive.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, July 11, 2024 from 5-7 p.m. at Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home. A second visitation will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2024 from 1-2 p.m. at the Talco Church of Christ in Talco, Texas. A funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. at the church under the direction of Bates-Cooper-Sloan Funeral Home. Interment will follow in the Masonic Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.

Pallbearers are Morgan Wright, Jordan Jones, Jericho Jones, Noah Jones, Croix Parrot, Nick Gannon, Mason Campbell, Clay Campbell, and Grayson Goates.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Jamaica Mission, Carthage Church of Christ, P.O. Box 325, Carthage, Texas 75633

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.