Jack Wright '50, Longtime DePauw Employee, Dies at Age 89

February 17, 2016

John "Jack" C. Wright, a 1950 graduate of DePauw University who worked in his alma mater's Bureau of Testing and Research for 38 years and retired with the rank of associate professor, died on February 15 in Greencastle. He was 89 years old.

Born on February 6, 1927 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wright served in the U.S. Navy for two years following his high school graduation. He came to DePauw as a Rector Scholar and graduated Phi Beta Kappa as a psychology major. He then earned a master's degree from the University of Illinois while working at the University Testing Bureau.

From there, Wright returned to Greencastle, serving as associate director of DePauw's Bureau of Testing and Research from 1954 until 1977, when he became assistant director. He retired in 1992.

From 1966-68, Wright and his family (which included his wife, Elizabeth Henry Wright '51, who survives) lived in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he worked for Columbia Teacher's College to set up a testing and research bureau for incoming Afghan students to the University of Kabul. (photo at left: Jack and Betty Wright in 1974, from the DePauw University Archives)

In 1973 he served as the director of studies for 32 DePauw students during a semester of study in Vienna, Austria, and Budapest, Hungary. (at right: Jack Wright in 1986)

Visitation will be Friday, Feb. 19 from 4-8 p.m. at the Bittles and Hurt Funeral Home in Greencastle. Funeral services will take place the following day, Saturday, Feb. 20, at 10:30 a.m. at Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church.

An online obituary is available here.

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