DUNKIRK – Frederick "Gene" Wright, age 87, Dunkirk, died Saturday night at home in the company of his family. Born in Dunkirk on June 1, 1924, he was the son of Estel & Esther Wright. He attended school in Dunkirk until joining the U.S. Army during WWII. As a member of Rainbow Division he fought in the Battle of The Bulge and became a Prisoner of War before his honorable discharge in 1945. After the war he worked as a sheet metal worker at McCormick Bros. in Albany and eventually retired from Feeny's Manufacturing in 1986. He was a member of the V.F.W. and American Legion in Dunkirk and will be remembered for his fun, friendly, family-oriented personality.

Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Doris Wright; a son: Harry Wright (wife: Sherry), Albany; 3 daughters: Loretta Fry, Dunkirk, Cathy Johnson (husband, Eddie, deceased), Redkey, and Carolena Johnson (husband: Gary), Albany; a step-daughter: Diana Young, Anderson; a sister: Barbara E. Crickmore (husband: Ray), Greensfield; 9 grandchildren: Brian Shrack, Stacy Skeens (husband: Jimmy), Daniel Fry, Carrie Long (husband: Brian), Derrick Johnson (wife: Samantha), Megan Taylor (husband: Derick), Joshua Johnson, Kellie Bergdoll (husband: Aaron), and Angie LaBoyteaux (husband: Mark), 3 step-grandchildren: Scott Young, Tina Young, and Richard Russell; 19 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces & nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, 4 brothers: George, Carl, Bud, and Bob Wright; 3 sisters: Rosalee Crickmore, Maxine Fisher, and Elizabeth Dollar; a grandchild: Toby Long, and 3great-step-grandchildren.

Services will be at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at Meacham Funeral Service, Albany, with burial following at Black Cemetery where military rites will be given by members of the Dunkirk American Legion.

Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday from 4-8 p.m. and one hour prior to the service on Wednesday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be sent to I.U. Health Ball Memorial Hospice, 2401 W. University Ave., Muncie, IN 47303.