Jean Wright

JEAN CAROLYN WRIGHT, born in Bolivar, Mo., June 26, 1934 to Rev. W. L. and Ava Murdaugh, passed away Jan. 19, 2017 after a three year struggle with health issues resulting from a fall which inflicted brain injuries. With indefatigable determination characteristic of her life, she regained her ability to speak, write and walk. While on her way to recovery, she fell and broke a hip which presented further challenges for her. Despite these bends in the road, as she called them, she pressed on with tri-weekly trips to the rehabilitation center for therapy. The idea of giving up was not in her constitution. Jeanne, as she was known, was recognized as a Bible teacher extraordinaire. She was named after the famous scholar and theologian, Dr. B. H. Carroll, founder of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and was a scholar in her own right. She not only was a consummate teacher herself, but led seminars in which she taught others to teach using seminary level text books as study guides. She had a passion for teaching English as a second language to members of Friendship International which she led for many years. Jeanne had a heart for missions which was fulfilled when she and her husband, Dr. John B. Wright were appointed by what was then the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention to serve a four year term as missionaries in Seoul, Korea following his retirement as pastor of the First Baptist Church. She and her husband served the Seoul International Baptist Church where she became the leader of Bible Study Fellowship as well as conducting courses in Experiencing God. Jeanne, with Bible in hand, would traverse by city buses in a city of 18 million people to go into homes and teach the Bible to Korean women. Jeanne was known as a pastor's wife, unsurpassed, and always said she did nothing relating to this role out of obligation. Her love for people led her into the ministry of counseling, resulting in the salvaging of many marriages as well as encouraging others who had lost their way. She spent hours each week as a mentor to teenage girls who today, give testimony of the impact she had on their lives. She was completely lost in the ministry to others. Her husband often said that churches called him for pastor in order to get Jeanne. Jeanne is survived by her husband of 65 years, Dr. John B. Wright, pastor Emeritus of Little Rock's First Baptist Church; three children, Phillip (Denise) of Springfield, Mo., Jonya Davis (Stephen) of Russellville, Ark., and Patty Lashley of Conway, Ark.; six grandchildren, Stephanie Collier (Marty) of Grand Prairie, Texas, John-Paul Davis (Breanne) and Caleb Davis, both of Russellville, Chase Lashley of Conway, Daniel Wright (Emily) and Devin Wright (Kylie), both of Springfield, Mo.; and six great-grandchildren, Anna Kate Collier, Cole Collier, Davis Collier, Riley Davis, Darby Davis and Blaze Davis. She was preceded in death by her parents, W. L. and Ava Murdaugh, her brother, Willis Lance Murdaugh, her son-in-law, Mark Lashley, and two nieces, Meagan Murdaugh and Sherri Lynn Murdaugh. Visitation will be held in the Sanctuary of Little Rock's First Baptist Church (corner of Pleasant Valley and Rodney Parham) on Sunday, Jan. 22 from 4-6 p.m. Burial will be at Roselawn Memorial Park on Monday at 10:30 a.m. (friends invited), followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m. in the Sanctuary of Little Rock's First Baptist Church. Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct., (501) 224-2200. Jeanne's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.