Patsy Dorman Wright

Patsy Dorman Wright, a 63-year resident of Northville, died on January 9, 2020 at home in the presence of her loving family.  Pat, the youngest of 3 daughters was born to Guy and Besse Smith Dorman in Lansing Michigan on September 26, 1926.  The family moved to Highland Park and lived there until 1943 when they moved to Detroit.  She attended Lincoln High School in Ferndale where she met her future husband, Harold (Hal) Wright in an eleventh-grade algebra class.  She graduated from Lincoln in 1944 and enrolled in a science curriculum at Wayne State University.  She stayed there one year and then transferred to the University of Michigan from which she graduated in 1948 with a BS in zoology.  She then worked in a biochemistry laboratory at Park Davis and The University of Michigan.  After marrying Hal in 1950 they moved to Highland Park for one year and then moved to Great Lakes, IL.  When she became pregnant with their first child, David, she stopped working and stayed home to take care of her son and subsequent daughter, Lisa, and son Peter.  When her youngest child was in high school, she went back to work at Park Davis in clinical research.  Later she co-owned and operated West End Company in downtown Northville for 11 years with Gordon Forrer, which specialized in antique lamps.  She always said she had three jobs in her lifetime:  biochemist, antique collector, and most important being a wife, a mother, and a grandmother.  She did an excellent job at all three but particularly the latter as she was a devoted family member, caring for all the members of her family.

Pat volunteered for many community organizations including Northville Cooperative Preschool, Northville Library, Northville School projects, and Mothers’ Club of Northville.  She served as president of the preschool and Mothers’ Club.  She was very active in the Northville Historical Society, as well as the American Association of University Women and the League of Women Voters.  She served on the Northville Township Planning Commission for several years.  She received the honor of Northville Woman of the Year in 1974.

Pat had many special interests.  She was an excellent seamstress and her specialty was embroidering copies of old family samplers of which she made approximately 25 for various family members.  She was an avid Tigers fan and was designated as the “mail lady” for the Mayo Smith Society.  Pat enjoyed attending the theater, musical events, and lectures.  She loved traveling with family and friends.

Pat had a long fruitful life until the last few years when her multiple illnesses, particularly Parkinson’s disease curtailed many of her activities.  Pat will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her mother, father and two sisters and she is survived by her husband, Harold L Wright Jr, three children David Wright (Julie Quinn), Lisa Engles (Leif), Peter Wright (Susan), six granddaughters Elizabeth Engles, Andrea (Sean) Meyer, Kelsey Wright, Amelia Wright, Tori Wright, and Kelly Wright, one great grandson Elliot Meyer, and her devoted Brussels Griffon, Lucy.

A Memorial Service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate memorial contributions to Mothers’ Club of Northville Life Members Scholarship Fund, 45766 Fermanagh Dr., Northville, MI 48168.