Jul. 28—Family members, friends and co-workers described Cleburne realtor James Wright as an inspiration, family man and hard worker.

Wright passed away Saturday at the age of 81.

Among other jobs, Wright worked as a local real estate agent for more than 58 years, he and his wife, Linda Wright, who passed away in 2013, having founded Wright Realty. Wright later ran his business under a RE/MAX franchise before later returning to operations under the Wright Realty name.

Wright retained a strong work ethic throughout his life, said his daughter, Kelli Lehrmann.

"When I was in the emergency room with dad a doctor was asking if he had any questions," Lehrmann said. "He said, 'Well, yeah, when can I get back to work?'

"Now he's 81 and I was thinking that would be the least thing on my mind at that point, but not dad."

More than work, Lehrmann said, Wright loved his family and faith.

"Dad loved to work and he worked hard," Lehrmann said. "But he loved his family, especially the grandkids. Whatever activity they were in, baseball, football, basketball, whatever he was at every game. If they needed sponsorship or banners for the teams or scoreboard at Cleburne High School he was always big on supporting them."

Wright himself graduated from CHS in 1959.

"Dad had played football," Lehrmann said. "He was starting center. David McWilliams, who later went to UT, was his backup because he was a little younger than dad."

Wright's senior year proved somewhat unusual, Lehrmann joked.

"Back then, if you got married you couldn't participate in sports or clubs because they were trying to discourage kids from doing that I guess," Lehrmann said. "Dad and mom ran off and got married in Oklahoma so his senior year he couldn't play football. Instead they got him to help coach the freshmen or JV or something like that. So there were still older men who would come up to him years later and call him coach to tease him and all."

Lehrmann joked that she too enjoyed a unique experience although she was too young to remember it.

"I was born three months before dad turned 18," Lehrmann said. "So I got to go to his graduation at the old high school, which is now the Guinn Justice Center."

Wright's strong work ethic allowed him to raise his family, his daughter said.

"Dad had three jobs," Lehrmann said. "He worked at General Motors from 1964 to 1994 full time, had the real estate company — mom ran the office until he retired from GM — and, on the side, would buy houses and redo them. He was just highly driven throughout life."

Lehrmann laughed, remembering her father's dedication to work.

"He was one who never missed a day no matter what the weather was doing," Lehrmann said. "I remember when we lived in apartments for about three years while mom and dad built their dream house. I remember one of those days it being icy and awful and we didn't have to go to school. But dad and another guy, a friend who worked at GM with him, were out there with the one guy driving and dad pushing the car to get over the ice and away from the curb so they could get on the road and go to work."

A work ethic, Lehrmann said her father probably inherited from his parents.

"Dad's dad was a cattle trader," Lehrmann said. "Bought and sold cattle in the Fort Worth Stockyards and all. They lived on South Walnut Street. It's hard to believe now but back then, right in the middle of town, behind my grandfather's house was acreage. He had a barn and kept his cattle right there between Country Club Road and South Walnut Street."

Huge responsibilities came with early marriage, Lehrmann said.

"They had to grow up really fast," Lehrmann said. "Mom got her GED then dad wanted her to go to what they called beauty school back then to be a beautician. Then he got his real estate license and she got one too and they just worked really hard together for a long time."

Wright was an active member of Tuesday Forum and a former member of the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce's board as well as a deacon at Westhill Church of Christ.

Former Cleburne firefighter Brent Easdon said he grew up with Wright's daughters and always looked up to Wright.

"I've known Mr. Wright since I was 11 or so and our families went to church together," Easdon said. "My parents were in real estate for a time too so our families got to know one another. Mr. Wright was very active in church. Because of his skills he kind of became the go-to guy when any problems with the building needed fixing.

I remember our families skiing together. I always looked up to him as kind of a go-to guy for advice. I remember my dad, if he couldn't answer a question, would direct me to someone who could and Mr. Wright was frequently one of those people. And, of course, he was still a deacon and he and I worked closely together at the church for years and years."

Cleburne realtor Casey Madison recalled Wright's friendship and mentorship.

"When I started in real estate a few years ago I worked with him for about three years," Madison said. "James was an inspiration for me and in the real estate world. He and his family were very supportive of my plans to get into real estate. Mr. Wright was very active and involved in making sure that we all succeeded

Madison recalled that Wright's company each year purchased a table at the Cleburne Education Foundation's annual fundraising country music concert.

"He would always auction guitars that were signed by singers and musicians," Madison said. "It was the funniest thing to watch him yelling Yaw! Yaw! During those auctions."

Cleburne realtor Rhonda Day worked 16 years with Wright.

"Just a good guy and a very loyal friend who's going to be missed," Day said. "He was the last of a breed."

Funeral services for Wright will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday at Westhill Church of Christ, followed by a private family burial at Rosehill Cemetery.

Visitation is from 6-8 p.m. today at Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Funeral Home, 512 N. Ridgeway Drive.