{"id":11355,"date":"2026-09-27T10:32:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T14:32:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/?p=11355"},"modified":"2026-09-27T10:32:39","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T14:32:39","slug":"wrightsboro-lodd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wrightsboro-lodd\/","title":{"rendered":"Wrightsboro Line of Duty Death – July 9, 1960"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Found this this week from New Hanover County. Wrightsboro Fire Chief Ed Wright died in the line of duty on July 9, 1960. He suffered a cardiac event while directing operations at a fire in the Rock Hill community.
\nChief Wright, 58, was found slumped by a fire truck. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Walker Memorial Hospital.<\/p>\n

Owner and operator of a dry cleaning establishment, Wright was credited as organizing the Wrightsboro Volunteer Fire Department in 1950. And a year later, donated the land on where their fire station stood.
\nHe had been chief of department for five years and was the first assistant fire chief in 1950. He likely served as assistant fire chief in subsequent years. The text of his obituary is below.<\/p>\n

Historical Perspective<\/strong><\/p>\n

From Legeros research, this raises the total of 17 known FD LODDs in New Hanover County history:<\/p>\n

1868 – Wilmington – Richard Merrick
\n1868 – Wilmington – Robert Bellamy
\n1880 – Wilmington – William Ellerbrock
\n1893 – Wilmington – Joseph Willard
\n1932 – Wilmington – Willie Monroe
\n1933 – Wilmington – Charles Schnibben
\n1935 – Wilmington – Raymond Core
\n1941 – Wilmington – Emmett Williamson
\n1956 – Wilmington – Oscar Willis
\n1960 – Wrightsboro – Edward Wright
\n1972 – Wilmington – Burleigh Scotton
\n1981 – Wrightsville Beach – Robert Wynn
\n1987 – Wilmington – Harold Sandlin
\n2013 – New Hanover – David Heath
\n2014 – Wilmington – Eric Lacewell
\n2019 – Kure Beach – Dennis Ebersole
\n2020 – Kure Beach – Harold Heglar<\/p>\n

Obituary<\/strong><\/p>\n

Funeral services for Edward Baker Wright, 58, of 572 Castle Hayne Rd., who died Saturday, will be conducted today at 3 p.m. from the Chapel of Andrews Mortuary.<\/p>\n

The Rev. E. A. Dasher, assisted by the Rev. Frank A. Elliott and the Rev. A. B. Bumgarner, will officiate. Interment will be in Bethany Presbyterian Church Cemetery.<\/p>\n

Active pallbearers will be Bobby Seitter, Roger Seitter, David A. Seitter, William Funderburg, Ed M. Meyland and Robert Hooker Jr.<\/p>\n

Honorary pallbearers will be E. B. Ward, L. G. Herring, W. C. Ramseur, Herbert Rivenbark, J. T. Padgett, L. E. Sikes, W. A. Spencer, N. B. Lanier, Robert Chadwick, James Middleton, George Hilliard, J. W. Guyton, W. T. Miar Sr., Bobby Myers and James S. Caison.<\/p>\n

Also Howard H. Caison, P. H. Braak, J. W. Croom, Clayton Fountain, Elbert Lennon, Dirk Swart Jr., Gerrit Swart, Hendrick Swart, H. T. Newland, Hooper Johnson Sr., Allan Perryman, George W. Barfield, and J. E. L. Wade.<\/p>\n

Also George W. Trask Sr., Ed Godwin Jr., Ivey McGee, N. E. Martin, L. W. Malpass Sr., Columbus L. Ritter, E. L. Wilson, J. C. Frye, members of the Wrightsboro Volunteer Fire Department, and representatives from the volunteer fire departments of New Hanover County.<\/p>\n