Charles Reed Wright

Dr. Charles Reed Wright, 78, of Cleveland passed away Wednesday, March 11, 2015 in a local healthcare facility with his family by his side. He was born and raised in Decatur, graduated from Meigs County High School and attended Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens. He was a well known preacher in the Tennessee Baptist Convention and Southern Baptist Convention for over fifty years and liked to be addressed as "Preacher". He pastored New Friendship Baptist Church, Candies Creek Baptist Church, Macedonia Baptist Church and Maple Street Baptist Church locally as well as Zion Hill Baptist Church in McMinn County and Fellowship Baptist Church in Chickamauga, GA. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Cleveland. Rev. Wright directed the first Bradley County Baptist Association's Crusade (known as the Eddie Martin Crusade) at the Bradley Bears stadium. Many souls came to know the Lord during this event. He conducted crusades in other states along with other evangelists. He served on the executive committee of the Tennessee Baptist Convention for six years. He was appointed as chairman of Committee on Communications for Southern Baptist Convention by Dr. Jerry Vines, president of Southern Baptist Convention. He was elected president of Tennessee Baptist Pastors Committee and was pastor of the week at Camp Carson for two years. Rev. Wright spoke on many occasions and at several dedications in Cleveland including dedications for Bradley County Nursing Home and the Ernest Vincent Chapel on the nursing home campus. He often said that his greatest thrill was to lead someone to Jesus. He was preceded in death by his mother, Hattie Hood; grandparents: Addie Wright and John Wright; father-in-law and mother-in-law, James and Luetta Webb; brother, Don Hood; and sister, Pat Sharitt. He is survived by his loving wife of fifty years, Doris Ann Wright of Cleveland; two sons: Jimmy Wright and wife Terrie, and Robert Bobby Wright and wife Pam, all of Cleveland; two granddaughters; Sarah Wright and Meagan Samuelson, both of Cleveland; two grandsons: David Wright and Jacob Wright, both of Cleveland; several sisters: Raye Haney and husband Jimmy, Faye Parker, all of Chattanooga, Cleta Collins, Lou Hill and Cheryl White and husband Ray, all of Cleveland; brother, Rev. Johnny Hood and wife Shirley of Cleveland; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. Saturday in the chapel of Fike-Randolph & Son Funeral Home with Rev. Tom Wickes, Rev. Johnny Hood and Gary Miller officiating. Interment will follow in Candies Creek Baptist Church Cemetery with Jacob Wright, David Wright, Thomas Stonecipher, Will Harris, Mark Hood and Todd Haney serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers include Charlie McKenzie, Frizzell Coleman and Matt Dillard. His family will receive friends from 4 - 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Rev. Wright's family would like to thank all of his caregivers at Life Care of Cleveland and Avalon Hospice of Athens for the special care they gave Dr. Wright and his family. His family has requested that memorials may be made to Tennessee Baptist Children's Home, 6623 Lee Hwy, Chattanooga, TN 37421. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Wright family guestbook at www.fikefh.com