Berniece E. Wright

Berniece Estella Kelley-Wright was born on September 24, 1925. She, her mother, and brother moved from Atalla, Alabama to Des Moines, Iowa in May of 1938. She was 12 years old when she moved to the Chesterfield area in Des Moines. It was there that she met the love of her life Robert A. Wright Sr., her first and only boyfriend, husband, and best friend. She and Robert graduated from East High school in 1943.



On February 23rd, 1946 she and Bob married in Des Moines Iowa. They were married for over 63 years and from this union a son Robert Jr. (Bobby) and daughter Charmayne were born. Both have talked about the unwavering support their mother gave them through the years.



Berniece earned a scholarship and was one of the first African Americans to attend AIB College. She worked as a secretary but later attended college at Drake University where she also received her Bachelors and Master Degrees in Elementary Education. Berniece was a teacher and Vice Principal at Horace Mann Elementary School for over 30 years until she retired in 1997. She has said many times that she enjoyed teaching much more than being in the leadership role as she truly loved the students and families she worked with.



She was a member of the NAACP, CASA, Tawasi Federated Women's Club and The Des Moines Teachers Association.



Berniece was also a proud member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and a founding member of Iota Zeta Omega Chapter at Drake University. She loved her family, church, basketball, football, teaching, mentoring her sorority sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Taking her grandchildren to sleepovers at Adventureland, Watching "The Price is Right" and "Wheel of Fortune" Eating Fried Shrimp, Shopping, and SHOES!!!



She was preceded in death her beloved husband of 63 years, Robert Wright Sr. in 2010, her mother Willie Mae McClendon and her brother Shelly Kelley.



She leaves behind her son and daughter- in-law, Robert and Cookie Wright Jr., daughter and son- in- law Charmayne and Ray Brown, sister- in -law Geraldine Wright Daniels; Grandchildren, Shana Price, Arica Wright, Kristy Matthews of San Diego, CA, De Angela "Nikki" (Julio C.) Wright- Guzman, Dr. Chane "Craig" Price of Miami Fl., Robert A. Wright III, and Ashley Wright.



Great Grandchildren; Jalynn Guzman, Elijah Guzman, Sean Naml Songii Price, and her brand new great grand babies Robert A. Wright IV, and Kriselle Smikle. She is also survived by a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, friends, associates, and church family. She had a beautiful personality and was very kind to all she met, she truly was " A One in a Million"!





Cemetery Details Iowa Veteran's Cemetery

Van Meter, IA,



Visitation

NOV 11. 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Henderson's Highland Park Funeral Home

3500 Sixth Avenue

Des Moines, IA, US, 50313



info@hendersonhighlandparkfuneralhome.com

http://www.hendersonhighlandparkfuneralhome.com Funeral Service

NOV 12. 12:00 AM

Union Baptist Church

East University and McCormick

Des Moines, IA, US

Family Greeting friends from

NOV 12. 11:00 AM

Union Baptist Church

East University and McCormick

Des Moines, IA, US

Omega Service

NOV 12. 12:30 PM

Union Baptist Church

East University and McCormick

Des Moines, IA, US