 WRIGHT, ROGER D. On November 14th, 1946 at 3:45 PM in East Chicago, Indiana, June and Lawrence Wright welcomed their only son, Roger Duane, into this world. At the age of 5, Roger, his sisters and his mother boarded the Santa Fe Railway Super Chief and left Indiana forever to join Roger's dad in Albuquerque. It was during this train ride that Roger found himself glued to the window as the train approached Glorieta Pass. He was captivated by the cliffs of the landscape, the red rocks, the trees, the high mountains of the Sangre de Cristos and that big turquoise sky. It was a new world and he could not wait to explore. As a young boy he spent every moment on the ditch banks near his home in the South Valley, riding his bike and looking for bits of history such as old pottery chards and later in life learned he was living near the Atrisco Mound. Roger received his Bachelors from UNM in 1969 and his Masters in 1978. UNM changed the way he saw himself and the way he interacted with the world. Education and doing whatever it takes to stay in school became a priority for him. He loved the anthropology department and spent endless hours in the Maxwell Museum where he was "allowed" down into the basement. He was amazed at the history it held. If he wasn't engaged at the museum, he was "working out" at Johnson Gym. He loved to train. It started when he was 19 and lasted the rest of his life. University life was not without its struggles. There was one semester when he could not afford his books but they were at Zimmerman Library, but not available for checkout. Well, Roger put his charms to work and sure enough, he managed to sweet-talk the librarian into letting him check the books out for a few days then check them back in and turn right around and check them back out! He was so smart and he was full of determination. Failure was not an option. He married Regina Gonzales on Jan. 31, 1969 at the UNM Alumni Chapel. In December of 1969, he and Regina welcomed their only child, the light of his life, Anndee Marie, into this world. Anndee married Marvin Kirk Brown in 1991 and in 1992, they welcomed Roger's only grandchild, Beau, the joy of his life. Roger loved to hunt, camp and fish and somewhere along the way he discovered the art of fly fishing and the real passion began. He started working at the old H. Cook Sporting Goods store in downtown Albuquerque. It was there that he opened up a "lay-a-way" account and, alas, began a life time of purchasing fly fishing gear. The San Juan River welcomed Roger with open arms and he returned its love back to the water. Roger had a beautiful "lyrical base" voice. He loved to sing and performed occasionally for the public. How many of you have ever stood center court at the UNM Pit and sung the National Anthem, acappella, in front of 17,000+ Lobo fans? Roger did. He did it twice! Regina remembers being anxious and saying to him "what if you forget the words, what if you get pitchy? Yikes!" Roger just laughed and consoled her and all her worst fears. "Regina, it is only one minute and 18 seconds out of my life. I can forget the words, I can get pitchy, I can forget the words AND get pitchy or I can nail it". Well, both times he nailed it. This was the philosophy that guided him through life. He was absolutely fearless and it enabled him to experience life fully every day. He had no regrets, he just kept moving forward. He just didn't know any better. His years at APS were hugely important to him. How would anyone begin to measure the positive impact he had on the lives of so many? He was a true educator, principal, advocate and protector of children. He truly understood that their lives are in the hands of those who teach well. He always brought the best of himself and brought out the best in those around him. He brought everything to his work. He was magic. He wasn't perfect but he was always gracious and kind and he owned his missteps. His heart was huge and he really knew how to laugh at himself. Now, Roger's Kingdom has come and he rests in the arms of his Creator, his Lord, Jesus Christ. We will miss you Poppi, you were so much fun! Thank you for all the wonderful times we shared, the beautiful words you said to us, the blessings you gave us. We will remember it all. Well done Poppi! We love you! Regina, Anndee, Kirk and Beau. We would like to thank the Physicians and Staff of NMOHC, the Physicians and Staff of Head and Neck Surgeons of NM, the Physicians and Staff of MDAnderson in Houston Tx., and the Staff of Presbyterian Hospice. We thank you all and will remember your kindness. In lieu of flowers, Roger would smile if you made a donation to the New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation at 4901 Lang Ave. NE, ABQ, NM 87109. Please join us Saturday, May 4, 2013, at 2:00 PM, at the Performing Arts Center at Cibola High School to celebrate Roger's life.
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