Helen Wright's Obituary
Helen Jean Wright, 82, passed away on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, in Decatur, IL.
She was born in Decatur on September 6, 1943, to the late William Moffett and Dorothy Plunkett Moffett. She married R. Neal Wright on June 16, 1963, and went on to build a beautiful life and raise a loving family at his side.
While her primary vocation was as a wife and homemaker, Helen worked as a switchboard operator at Bell Telephone in her younger years and as a customer service representative at Kohl’s in her later ones. In her youth, Helen was a 10 year 4-H member. As an adult, she followed in her mother’s footsteps to become a 4-H leader. Helen co-led the Oreana Helping Hands club, and was a chaperone for the Macon Co. State-to-State 4-H Exchange Program.
In addition to dedicating her time to 4-H, she also helped her boys throughout Cub Scouts and participated on Heinkel’s Women’s Bowling Team. She was a longtime member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, often volunteering. Helen was also a 23 year survivor of breast cancer.
Helen had a knack for turning her passions into gifts for others. She was a voracious reader, often cycling between two or three books at a time, and volunteered her time reading to children at the L.S.A.. Her passion for needlecrafts lead her to teach needlepoint to students at the L.S.A. during “Winterim” week.
She had a keen interest in genealogy, taking up the mantle of family historian. This led her to become a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution alongside her cousins, Virginia Rinehart and Marie Boedecker. The 3 cousins made many memories traveling and researching their family history together.
Helen’s family was also blessed to put in many miles with her. They drove all over the country on various family vacations, particularly returning to Florida on several trips. Once their children had left home, she and Neal traveled often to see them. Additionally, the pair went on several cruises together, enjoying each other’s company as they saw the sights from Panama to Alaska.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her brother, William “Bill” Dean Moffett, and one nephew, Brad Wright.
Alongside her husband of nearly 63 years, R. Neal Wright, she is survived by: children, R. Todd (Jill) Wright, Eric (Jelette) Wright, Anita (Matt) Peterson; grandchildren, Cassidy (Nathaniel) Thies, Bridget and Ian Wright, Lydia and Jordan Wright, Julia and Evan Peterson; great-grandchild, Egan Thies; and nieces and nephews, Kirk Moffett, Troy Moffett, Abby Steele, Theressa Tozer, and Glenda Jarosz.
Visitation for Helen Wright will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Decatur. Funeral will begin at 11:00 a.m., with committal to follow at Graceland Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church or the Stephen Decatur Chapter, NSDAR.
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