Anna May Wright

After a courageous twenty-two year battle with cancer Anna surrendered on February 20, and was transported to God’s everlasting kingdom of love, joy, and peace.

She was born in Detroit on July 17, 1935, to Willis and Veva (Linton) Long, the last of seven children.

During her childhood and teen-age years, she was active in a variety of ways in the programs of the Fort Street Presbyterian Church.  A gifted athlete, she captained the girls’ basketball and field hockey teams at Western High School in Detroit.  At Clear Lake Camp in Oxford MI, she helped children to overcome their fear of water and learn to swim.  She attended Wayne State University.

On June 9, 1956, she married Sanford Keith Howard Wright at Fort Street Presbyterian Church.  Their union, which endured for more than 66 years, produced a son Stephen and two daughters Donna and Kathryn.

Anna was a church school superintendent, youth group advisor, choir member, deacon and elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Alpena, but her greatest contributions came through personal and private acts of ministry.  With her husband she served as co-director of four family camps in the Upper Peninsula.

She found great joy as Activities Director at Provincial House and the Mental Health Unit of Alpena General Hospital.

Anna was preceded in death by her son, Stephen; three brothers, Hershel, Bryan, and Jack; and three sisters, Dorothy, Ruby, and Margaret.  She is survived by her husband, Sanford; two daughters, Donna (Richard) Boman, Kathryn Applegate; daughter-in-law, Katherine Wright; five grandchildren, Dylan (Ashley) Wright, Aaron (Lauren Challinor) Wright, Anna (fiancé Matthew Schmitz) Wright, Mark Boman, Kristen (Hui) Zhang; and three great-grandchildren, Taylor, Samuel, and Kathryn.

Memorial visitation will take place at the First Presbyterian Church of Alpena on Saturday, February 25 from 1 p.m. until the memorial service at 2 p.m. with the Reverend William Rayment and the Reverend Dr. H. Robert Case officiating.  Arrangements have been made by the Bannan Funeral Home.

Funeral will be streamed at https://www.youtube.com/@alpenapresbyterianchurch5220 

Memorials: First Presbyterian Church of Alpena or any Hospice Organization