Phillip B. Wright

Phillip Brandon Wright was born on June 30, 1972 in Lodi California to Melville (Tom) and Joan Wright. He passed away at 50 years of age on July 28, 2022 after a courageous 14 month battle against glioblastoma brain cancer. 

Phillip began working at a very young age going from paperboy for the Lodi News Sentinel, maintenance at Woolworths, to being a draftsman for Creative Metal Buildings. After graduation from Lodi High School in 1990, he attended Delta College in Stockton, CA. and transferred to the University of Idaho in Moscow graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering. After graduation he worked for engineering firms in Redding and Chico, CA. As a Professional Engineer in 2006 he moved back to Moscow and began working as project manager for campus development at Washington State University in Pullman where he was involved in the planning and construction of Palouse Ridge, their challenging world-class, tournament golf course. 

In 2008 he married Amber Buswell in Coeur d'Alene, ID. In 2010 they moved to Oregon where Phil worked as Director of Capital Projects and Facilities for Chemeketa Community College in Salem, OR. In 2017 they moved to Colbert, WA where Phil was in charge of facilities and planning for Spokane Public Schools until he became ill in 2021. 

He loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing, wake boarding, snowboarding and motorcycling. When he started raising a family his interests changed and he became a skilled craftsman making major improvements to every house he lived in. There was no end to his energy, interests and his eagerness to learn and try new things. 

From his first move to Idaho in 1994, he loved the wilderness of Elk River and when faced with the challenge of being ill, the family moved there in hopes to simplify his life and aid his recovery. 

He is survived by his wife Amber Wright, children Winnie, Henry, Benji and Norah, and step-children Ellie, Robert, John, Teddy, and Carrie Nortness, by his parents Tom and Joan Wright, siblings Scott Wright, Renee (Andy) Strand, Andrea (Eric ) Sharrock and many aunts, uncles and cousins. 

Viewing will be held August 8th from 12PM to 4PM at Short’s Funeral Chapel in Moscow, ID followed by recitation of the rosary at 4PM. Burial/ 

graveside services will be held at Three Pines Cemetery in Elk River, ID on August 9th at 10:30AM.