Wilford K. Wraight

Wilford K. “Willie” Wraight, age 89, passed away on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at the Martin-Linsin Residence of Hospice.  He was born February 4, 1934 in Pulteney NY, a son of the late Victor and Unadah (Brown) Wraight and had lived in this area most of his life.

He was an avid woodsman, hunter, and gardener. He grew up behind a horse and plow, then moved with the times to single-cylinder tractors with steel wheels, on to bigger tractors, rubber tires, and (yay!) hydraulics. He loved all farm equipment. In his youth, he was a conductor on a small locomotive, and expressed a fondness for trains ever after. He made machinery deliveries all over Western New York in the sixties, and seemed to know every small town in the state. He took pride in performing any job to the best of his ability: an Electrician’s Mate in the US Navy, delivering machinery for Bentley Brothers, organizing the Parts Department for Lipton’s, where he eventually became a millwright, and in some of the precision machining he was able to do at Eastman Kodak, also as a millwright.

In retirement, he worked a remarkably large garden: onions, peas, beets, spinach, green and yellow beans, lettuce, zucchini and yellow squash, cantaloupe (“musk melon” he called it), and bushels of butternut squash, potatoes, corn, and tomatoes. He was tickled pink when he started growing garlic.

He was a natural-born storyteller, and everyone was a friend unless proven otherwise. He loved his family more than he could say. Truly, he would burst into tears if he tried. They, in turn, loved him. More than they can say.

He leaves behind his beloved wife of 65 years, Joan; son Alan (Nancy) Wraight; daughter Margaret “Peggy” (John Buchan) Wraight; granddaughters Erin (Wayne) Baker, Christina (Mark) Ingold; great-grandsons Ellis and Rhett Baker; sister Martha (Calvin) Richards; brother Larry (Marie) Wraight as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.  

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his son Perry; sisters Lena Sprague, Delores Robinson; brother Warren Wraight; nephews Jay and John Sprague.

The family will receive friends at the Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes, 21 W. Ave. Albion, on Friday September 8^th from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.  His Funeral Service will be held Saturday, September 9, at 12:00 noon at the Barre Center Presbyterian Church, 4706 Oak Orchard Rd., Albion NY 14411.  Burial with Military Honors will be in Mt. Albion Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to the Barre Center Presbyterian Church or to Hospice of Orleans (14080-NY31, Albion NY 14411.)

To share a memory of Wil, visit www.mitchellfamilyfuneralhomes.com