Gearld Lewis Wright (February 22, 1933 – July 25, 2002) was an American

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

who served as the fifth mayor of West Valley City,

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

from 1994 to 2002.

Early life

Wright was born in Lyman,

Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...

to Alton T. Wright and Ida Mabel Jensen Wright. He graduated from South High School and

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...

, was married to Lila Lynn Florence, and was the father of six. Wright served in the U.S. Air Force in the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

and taught social studies in junior high and high schools for 30 years before retiring in 1987.W.V. Mayor Gearld Wright dies , Deseret News
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Political career

Wright was an at-large city councilman for six years, and was chair of the city's building authority for six years. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1987, being defeated by Brent F. Anderson, but was successful in 1993 when he defeated state senator Bill Barton. He was reelected in 1997 overwhelmingly over F. Kenneth Olafson by a three-to-one margin, becoming the first mayor in West Valley City history to be elected to two full terms. In 2001 he won an unprecedented third term over city councilmember Janice Fisher, but did not complete that term due to his sudden death resulting from a massive stroke on July 25, 2002. Mayor Wright embraced the city's diversity, guided the city as a venue city during the 2002

Olympic Winter Games The Winter Olympic Games (), also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held in ...

, and oversaw the development of the E Center, Hale Centre Theatre, Family Fitness Center, and the beginnings of what would become the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. He also began a

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inte ...

relationship with Nantou,

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

. Gearld L. Wright Elementary School in West Valley City was named after the former educator and city official in 2005, as was the "Gearld Wright Classic" girls fastpitch softball tournament (held June 30 – July 2 at the West Valley Family Fitness Center Softball Complex) in 2011.

References

External links

Deseret News article announcing death of Mayor Wright Website of Gearld L. Wright Elementary School, named in his honor
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Gearld 1933 births 2002 deaths 20th-century mayors of places in Utah 21st-century mayors of places in Utah Mayors of West Valley City, Utah People from West Valley City, Utah Brigham Young University alumni Utah city council members United States Air Force personnel of the Korean War American Latter Day Saints People from Lyman, Wyoming