Margie Lynn Blakemore Wright

Whether in her professional or personal life, Margie’s desire was to glorify God through her character, conduct, and conversation. She took seriously the commands to love God completely and to love others as yourself.

Margie Lynn Blakemore Wright was born June 28, 1946, in Memphis, TN to Joseph & Rosa Blakemore. She was the youngest of eleven children (7 girls and 4 boys). She attended Carnes Elementary, Lester Elementary, Lester Junior High, Lester High School, and ultimately graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1964. Margie went on to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education in 1972 and her Master of Arts degree in Rhetoric and Communication Arts in 1975, both from the University of Memphis (formerly Memphis State). All of this while married and raising a young family. Her educational background opened the door to opportunities in academia, politics, consulting, entrepreneurship, and theater.

Margie’s career extended beyond teaching at the University of Memphis, Indiana University Southeast, and Jefferson Community College where she retired as an Associate Professor Emeritus. In her career, she successfully conducted workshops, seminars, and training sessions, taught long and short-term courses, presented speeches, wrote speeches for political candidates, and gave personal private coaching focused on effective communication skills and techniques. She designed and developed programs and services for several diverse groups including clerical workers, administrators, college professors, students, factory workers, unemployed adults and business executives. In addition to this, Margie and Charles started a travel agency, GEM Travel™, with longtime friends George and Myra Howard. Margie was active in Jefferson County Public Schools for 25 years, working to improve the educational experience of students in the classroom, ran for school board, and served as a longtime faculty member at the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program.

Margie actively cultivated her artistic gifts. She enjoyed acting, singing, writing and producing plays, poems, and short stories. A highlight for Margie was her work in the theater which included performing in the University of Memphis’ production of the opera Porgy and Bess and writing, producing, and directing the play Reflections (performed at Green Castle Baptist Church).

Margie accepted Christ at an early age and took her continued spiritual growth seriously over the years. She was an active member of Green Castle Baptist Church for nearly 50 years serving in multiple capacities (Mass Choir, Down Home Singers, Adult/Youth Sunday School Teacher, Youth Ministry, and Mothers’ Standing in the GAP Ministry). Anyone who knew Margie knew she loved reading her Bible, praying, and encouraging others both inside and outside of the church.

Margie was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. After being chased by Charles Wright for three years, she finally relented and married him on August 30, 1963. For sixty-three years, they walked alongside each other as best friends – a loving reflection of two becoming one. Their union was filled with love, fun and laughter through the mountaintops and valleys of life with Christ at the center.

Margie passed from this life to her eternal life on May 30, 2026, at 10:28 a.m. She was preceded in death by: her parents (Joseph and Rosa Blakemore), beloved mother-in-law (Ethel Washington), four brothers, Joseph Blakemore, Willie “Bill” Blakemore, Raymond Blakemore, and Theodore “Ted” Blakemore, and four sisters, Roberta Hayes, Rosalie Woods, Mary Helen Blakemore, and Ethel Crutcher.

She leaves to cherish her memory Charles, her devoted husband of sixty-three years, three daughters: Jacqueline (Winefred) Washington, Tracie Wright, Courtney “Pumpkin” Wright, and one son: Charles (Karen) Wright II; seven grandchildren: Sydney (Daniel) Longfellow, Joseph (Sandy) Washington, Darian Wright, Christopher Washington, Jonathan Washington, Jaila Wright, and Hannah Wright; five great-grandchildren, Adelaide Longfellow, Declan Longfellow, Rhys Longfellow, Lia Washington, and Elijah Washington; two sisters, Eva Turner and Anna Marie Hancock; beloved sister-in-law, Erma Wright; Lonnie (Ernestine) Latham (a nephew loved like a brother), and a host of nieces, nephews, and extended family and friends.

We will miss her more than words can say, yet her laughter, wisdom, and loving spirit will continue to shine in the lives she touched.