Wright, David Lane, 1929-1967

David Lane Wright was born in Bennington, Idaho on May 22, 1929 to Conover and Lenora Rich Wright. In 1946 he attended college at the Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University) on a football and track scholarship. During this time, Wright was football coach Dick Romney's sports publicist and a writer for the student publication, The scribble. After graduation, he become a high school English teacher in Rexburg and Downey, Idaho. On October 22, 1950 he married Nancy Claire Johnson. While teaching at a grade school in Bennington, Idaho, he was called into active duty for the Air Force (USAF.) In the USAF he won essay contests and wrote a play entitled Still the Mountain Wind. This play defined his career as a writer and a poet. The central character was his brother Rich who died when Wright was seven. The play was performed at universities, colleges, and in many locations in southern Utah. From 1963 to early 1964 Wright attended the University of Iowa earning a M.F.A. in creative writing. Wright was a career USAF officer serving in several locations including the Dakotas, Florida, Iceland, Alabama, and Vietnam. While stationed in Alabama during this time, he became involved in the civil rights campaign. He was transferred to Saigon in November 1965, where he received a Bronze Star (for diplomatic abilities) and was promoted to the rank of Major. He returned from Vietnam in November of 1966 to his home in Montgomery, Alabama. Soon after he and his wife divorced. In 1967, Wright died from a heart attack.

From the description of David Lane Wright addendum, 1940-1967. (Utah State University). WorldCat record id: 70162107

David Lane Wright was born in Bennington, Idaho on May 22, 1929 to Conover and Lenora Rich Wright. In 1946 he attended college at the Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University) on a football and track scholarship. During this time, Wright was football coach Dick Romney's sports publicist and a writer for the student publication, The scribble. After graduation, he become a high school English teacher in Rexburg and Downey, Idaho. On October 22, 1950 he married Nancy Claire Johnson. While teaching at a grade school in Bennington, Idaho, he was called into active duty for the Air Force (USAF.) In the USAF he won essay contests and wrote a play entitled Still the Mountain Wind. This play defined his career as a writer and a poet. The central character was his brother Rich who died when Wright was seven. The play was performed at universities, colleges, and in many locations in southern Utah. From 1963 to early 1964 Wright attended the University of Iowa earning a M.F.A. in creative writing. Wright was a career USAF officer serving in several locations including the Dakotas, Florida, Iceland, Alabama, and Vietnam. He was transferred to Saigon in November 1965, where he received a Bronze Star (for diplomatic abilities) and was promoted to the rank of Major. He returned from Vietnam in November of 1966 to his home in Montgomery, Alabama. Soon after he and his wife divorced. In 1967, Wright died from a heart attack.

From the description of David Lane Wright photograph collection, 1929-1967 (bulk 1947-1966). (Utah State University). WorldCat record id: 57673595

Writer and poet.

From the description of David Lane Wright papers, 1942-1964. (Utah State University). WorldCat record id: 43840365

David Lane Wright was born on May 22, 1929, in Bennington, Idaho to Conover and Lenora Rich Wright. He was a descendent of LDS Apostle Charles C. Rich. He spent his childhood in Bennington, and from the time he was a young man he kept copious journals. He loved sports, especially baseball and football, and enjoyed exploring the terrain around Bennington and Montpelier which figures prominently in his work. When he was seven, his brother Rich, to whom he had been very close, died from an acute appendicitis and this event continued to influence David for the rest of his life and the character of his brother often appeared under different names in many of his writings. In fact his most prominent piece, a play first produced in 1956 called “Still the Mountain Wind,” was about Rich's death.

Wright started attending Utah State University,(then called Utah State Agricultural College), in 1946 at the age of seventeen on an athletic scholarship. He studied English under the tutelage of Professors A. N. Sorensen and Ira Hayward both of whom encouraged him to write and publish. He also was a sports writer for the student paper. Throughout his life, his dream was to become a writer, but he also prepared to become an English teacher. For the first three years at college he was on the track team and played football. His final year he quit football to spend more time writing.

After graduation Wright held many jobs as a teacher throughout Idaho. On October 22, 1950 he married Nancy Johnson, one of his students from Rexburg. He changed positions several times and eventually ended up back his home town working at the elementary school. He entered the Air Force and was called into active duty and continued write, winning several Air Force story contests and producing his work, “Still the Mountain Wind.” Also during this time he was stationed in various places throughout the United States and the world including South Dakota, Florida, Alabama, and Iceland.

In 1963, Wright was able to pursue his Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Iowa while still in the Air Force. He completed it in 1964. While stationed in Alabama during this time, he became involved in the civil rights campaign. In 1965, Wright was sent to Saigon, Vietnam. There he performed mostly administrative and diplomatic duties, earning a Bronze Star and was promoted to rank of Major. When he returned from Vietnam in December, 1966, he and Nancy divorced. Wright maintained custody of the children. In February of 1967, he suffered a heart attack. He recovered somewhat and was able to return to his home in Montgomery, Alabama where he lived for the next four months. On June 26, 1967, he suffered a second heart attack and passed away at the age of thirty-eight.

From the guide to the David Lane Wright papers, 1929-1967, (Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives)

David Lane Wright was born on May 22, 1929, in Bennington, Idaho to Conover and Lenora Rich Wright. He was a descendent of LDS Apostle, Charles C. Rich. He spent his childhood in Bennington, and from the time he was a young man he kept copious journals. He loved sports, especially baseball and football, and enjoyed exploring the terrain around Bennington and Montpelier, which figures prominently in his work. When he was seven his brother Rich, to whom he had been very close, died from an acute appendicitis and this event continued to influence David for the rest of his life. Character's based on his brother often appeared under different names in many of his writings. In fact his most prominent piece, a play first produced in 1956 called "Still the Mountain Wind," was about Rich's death.

Wright started attending Utah State University (then called Utah State Agricultural College) in 1946 at the age of seventeen on an athletic scholarship. He studied English under the tutelage of Professors A. N. Sorensen and Ira Hayward both of whom encouraged him to write and publish. He also was a sports writer for the student paper. Throughout his life his dream was to become a full-time writer, but he also prepared to become an English teacher. For the first three years at college he was on the track team and played football. His final year he quit football to spend more time writing.

After graduation Wright held many jobs as a teacher throughout Idaho. On October 22, 1950, he married Nancy Johnson, one of his students from Rexburg. He changed positions several times and eventually ended up back his home town working at the elementary school. He entered the Air Force and was called into active duty and continued write, winning several Air Force story contests and producing his work, "Still the Mountain Wind." Also during this time he was stationed in various places throughout the United States as well as the world including South Dakota, Florida, Alabama, and Iceland.

In 1963, Wright was able to pursue his Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Iowa while still in the Air Force. He completed it in February 1964. Later, while stationed in Alabama during this time, he became involved in the civil rights campaign. In 1965, Wright was sent to Saigon, Vietnam. There he performed mostly administrative and diplomatic duties, earning a Bronze Star and he was later promoted to the rank of Major. When he returned from Vietnam in December, 1966, he and Nancy divorced with Wright maintaining custody of the children. In February of 1967, he suffered a heart attack. He recovered somewhat and returned to his home in Montgomery, Alabama where he lived for the next four months. On June 26, 1967, he suffered a second heart attack and passed away at the age of thirty-eight.

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From the guide to the David Lane Wright addendum, 1940-1967, (Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives)

David Lane Wright was born in Bennington, Idaho on May 22, 1929 to Conover and Lenora Rich Wright. He was the fourth born of five children into an LDS family. While growing up in Bennington, Wright wrote constantly and carefully maintained his journals and correspondence. In 1946 he attended college at the Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University) on a football and track scholarship. In addition to his athletic duties, Wright was football coach Dick Romney's sports publicist and a writer for The Scribble . He become a high school English teacher in Rexburg and Downey, Idaho after graduation. It was during this time that he met Nancy Claire Johnson (August 20, 1934 - June 8, 2004), one of his students, and on October 22, 1950 they married. While teaching at a grade school in Bennington near his parents he was called into active duty for the Air Force (USAF.)

In the USAF he won essay contests and he wrote a play entitled Still the Mountain Wind . This play defined his career as a writer and a poet. The central character was his brother Rich who died when Wright was seven. The play was performed at universities, colleges, and in many locations in southern Utah.

In 1963 and early 1964 Wright attended the University of Iowa earning a master's degree of fine arts in creative writing. Wright was a career USAF officer serving in several locations including the Dakotas, Florida, Iceland, Alabama, and Vietnam. He was transferred to Saigon in November of 1965 where he received a Bronze Star (for diplomatic abilities) and was promoted to the rank of Major. He returned from Vietnam in November of 1966 to his home in Montgomery, Alabama. Soon after he and his wife Nancy separated and then divorced. In February 1967 he suffered a heart attack and died four months later.

From the guide to the David Lane Wright photograph collection, 1929-1967, 1947-1966, (Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives)