John Albert Wright, 78, passed away from natural causes in his longtime home in Bozeman on November 16, 2024. John was born to Vida Ellen (Fenderson) and John Cecil Wright, on Sept. 30, 1946, in Oklahoma. He was raised in Poteau, Oklahoma, with his two sisters, and the family attended the Poteau United Methodist Church. John graduated in the 1964 class of Poteau High School before studying zoology at the University of Oklahoma and earning his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Baylor University. He cherished his childhood spent with friends and was a lifelong Sooner sports fan.
During summer vacation, John worked for the U.S. Forest Service and was stationed in Northwest Montana. This experience, combined with his first exposure to fly fishing during a trip to Tincup, Colorado, ignited a deep passion for the Northern Rockies, and John promptly fell in love with Montana. This led him to settle just west of Bozeman, Montana, where he started his dental practice, which he ran for 41 years. He also raised livestock and tended a garden, all the while learning to read rivers and streams and coax trout to hit a fly.
While in Bozeman, John married Sallie Sheldon, and together they raised their daughter, Jessianne. In 2021 John and Sallie divorced.
John was a lifelong learner; lover of music, art, and poetry; and impassioned history buff. He was drawn to the outdoors and was inspired to paint the landscapes around him. He appreciated a job well done and took great care in all his endeavors. He owned and loved a dog named Riley and was thrilled at becoming a grandfather. John was a longtime supporter of the Gallatin History Museum, Montana Historical Society, Museum of the Rockies, and Warriors and Quiet Waters.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father.
He is survived by his daughter, Jessianne Ashley Castle (Wright); son-in-law, Ryan Zachary Castle; granddaughter, Bethany Anne; a forthcoming grandchild this spring; as well as sisters Cecilia Abrams (Wright) and Rebecca Pulliam (Wright), and cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
Please visit dokkennelson.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of John.
There will be services held at a later date.
