Leonard D. Wright III, M.D.'s Obituary
Leonard (Len) Denton Wright III, M.D., respected and loved in the West Michigan community, died April 8, 2017; he was 62. Leonard was born on June 6, 1954 to Leonard Denton Wright, Jr. and Libby (Miller) Wright in Flint, Michigan. Leonard graduated from Flint Central High School in 1972, and Albion College in 1976; he was Captain of both his high school and college football teams. He attended University of Michigan Medical School, graduating in 1980. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and his Emergency Medicine Residency at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. He studied Medical Acupuncture at UCLA and achieved board certifications in Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Medical Acupuncture and Hospice and Palliative Care. Through the course of his accomplished medical career, Dr. Wright was Director of Hackley Hospital Emergency Department in Muskegon, and later introduced Medical Acupuncture and Holistic Medicine to his community through his practice, Celebrate Center for Holistic Healing. He served as Medical Director of the Wege Institute for Mind Body and Spirit in Grand Rapids, Harbor Hospice in Muskegon, and Spectrum Hospice in Grand Rapids before retiring in 2015. He married his wife, Rita Ann, on Mackinac Island on October 2, 1982 and moved to Muskegon where together they raised their two beautiful sons, Sean and Khristian. Through the years he loved running, playing his piano, downhill skiing, windsurfing, but most of all, playing and coaching his sons in basketball and cheering on his Wolverines. He spent time rescuing and healing wildlife, planting daffodils, summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, and watching Lake Michigan sunsets. In his retirement, he studied to become a Docent for the Muskegon Museum of Art and was looking forward to joining his golf league this spring. Len was predeceased by his father, Leonard Wright, Jr. and his brother-in-law, Jim Moriarty. He lives on in his wife, Rita Ann; his beloved sons, Sean and Khristian; daughter-in-law to be, Karly Billings; his adoring mother, Libby; sisters, Lynn (Albert) Hackett and Cheryl (Mike) Porter; brother-in-laws, Jack (Carol) Moriarty, George Moriarty and Patrick Moriarty; sister-in-law, Pamela Moriarty; beautiful nieces and nephews, his wonderful extended family and friends and those who he loved as brothers. His family welcomes you to a Celebration of Life on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 12noon officiated by Marilyn Rottschafer, Chaplin for Harbor Hospice, at The Lee Chapel, 6291 S. Harvey St., Muskegon 49444, (231)798-1100. Visitation for family and friends begins at 10AM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Muskegon Museum of Art, 296 W. Webster Ave, Muskegon, MI 49440. Please visit the family’s online guestbook at www.sytsemafh.com.
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