In Loving Memory
Doris Elizabeth Woodward-Wright
September 19, 1928 ~ July 7, 2017
Survived By
Husband: Wilbur Glenn Wright
Daughter: Cynthia Wright-Bush
Son: Steven Glenn Wright
Sister: Joyce Brickey
Grandchildren: Dr. Trevor Bush, Alissa Bush, Matthew Wright, Christopher Wright, Taylor Wright
Great Grandchildren: Ethan Bush, Alexander Bush, Sophia Wright
Also survived by an extensive extended family of nieces, nephews and cousins.
Preceded in Death By
Father: Raymond Woodward
Mother: Rose Memovich Woodward
Son: Mark Richard Wright
Brothers: Raymond Woodward, Donald Woodward
Sister: June Woodward Stier
Grandson: Brandon Glenn Wright
Welcome to the World
Doris Elizabeth Woodward was a second generation Coloradan born in Denver, CO in 1928, the same year Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and that great thing… sliced bread, was invented along with bubble gum! And if that wasn’t enough, the first Mickey Mouse cartoon was shown, penicillin was discovered, and the first Oxford English Dictionary was published. And, over Dodie’s lifetime, we had 16 Presidents of the United States!
Doris spent her youth during the time of the Great Depression with her four siblings Raymond, Donald, June and little sister Joyce. Her brother Donald coined the name Dodie. A beloved name that would be later revived when her first grandson, Trevor Bush was learning to talk, and as the first born grandchild got to name his grandma. Growing up, her parents Raymond and Rose Woodward, who owned a neighborhood grocery store on Decatur Street, instilled a strong work ethic, love of family and stubborn will.
She attended Englewood High School during World War II, and graduated with the Class of 1946, while working at a local department store where she loved seeing the new trends in shoes and clothing. A passion she would have her entire life.
Doris first met the love of her life, Wilbur Glenn Wright, while in high school in 1946 at age 17. They had seen each other around school, but they did not formally date each other until their senior year of high school.
After a few dates together, it quickly became serious culminating in an engagement on Christmas Day in 1947, marriage on May 23, 1948 and a love story spanning over 70 years!
A Devoted Wife, Mother and Grandmother…
The honeymoon was a road trip to Yellowstone, Jackson Hole and Utah. The first year of marriage was spent living at the Wright Motel owned by Wilbur’s father as they began to plan their life together while facing challenges following the war. In the early years, Wilbur continued to work at his factory job at Samsonite for the next seven years and Doris as a homemaker, as they started a family and their life together as entrepreneurs. 
Daughter Cynthia was born in 1949 followed by son Steven in 1952 and another son Mark in 1958. Her children were the treasures of her life, and while Wilbur began his new career as a contractor and developer, Doris was a devoted wife and mother making a nice home and caring for their new family.
Together they opened their first liquor store called the Wright Spot in January 1955 and it quickly became successful. At age 27, Wilbur said goodbye to his eight-year tenure at Samsonite and the last paying “job” he ever had. After struggling and working tirelessly the first eight years of their marriage, that first liquor store was sold in two short years and the money was parlayed into real estate rental properties and development that set the future course of the Wright family.
In later years, Doris and Wilbur owned two more liquor stores, built hundreds of homes, developed land and bought and sold many properties in the Denver area.
In Her Life….
Doris was a remarkable and generous woman. She was also extremely sociable, beautiful and intelligent. It was her nature to always give a helping hand and doing what she could to support Wilbur and the family…while always being on top of the latest trend in fashion.
Her greatest passion was caring for her family and she took delight and pleasure in hosting numerous family dinners and gatherings throughout the years. Many pool and garden parties were had in the lush backyard she adored. She loved getting together with her friends, many of whom she has known for more than 65 years. Her many interests included theater, travel, entertaining, antiquing, gardening and charity work.
Doris was an influential woman and she was someone that people marveled at. She got things done, working for the PTA at her children’s school and donating time to many charities who welcomed her vision, “can do” attitude and industrious contribution.
A Passion for Antiquing
Anyone who knew Doris, knew she was an avid collector and antique dealer. During the 1960’s she spread her entrepreneurial wings with an Antique business aptly called The Treasure Chest. Being able to incorporate her love of antiquing into a business was a perk for Dodie. When she started her own antique business; she worked hard, harder than most, because she had a passion that drove her to be successful at whatever she put her hand to. But you wouldn’t know it to look at her. Her hair 
was fashionably styled, her makeup always perfect and she was always impeccably dressed!
Whether she was on a mission to find something vintage or collectible, or had that moment of shopping serendipity, antiquing for Dodie was both a pursuit and a pleasure. She never tired of the hunt and nothing was more satisfying than finding a $2 curio or a priceless piece of furniture in the same place on the same day!
Those many treasures filled her shop, the garage and for a time seemed to take over their entire home. Her eclectic mix of decorating with antiques created an undeniable personal statement with a sense of history and charming character. Doris especially loved to collect vintage glassware, furniture and Coca Cola calendars for their sense of nostalgia and the stories they evoked.
No one can deny that Doris Wright was a unique woman with impeccable taste and she has left reminders of herself everywhere in the Littleton house where she and Wilbur resided for over 50 years. In her room, which had a mystical air to it, her dresser was always filled with antique trinkets and jewelry, which seemed to exude magical powers. The walls and shelves of their home were filled with amazing antiques and collectibles, which left one in awe. In every corner of the home a sweet memory is found and cherished.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Treeees!
After seeing her first big Christmas tree in the picture window of their first home on Christmas Eve in 1949, Doris was hooked on their majesty and magic. She loved Christmas trees and everything they represented that was important to her. The trees were adorned with pictures of family members, antique ornaments and precious lifetime mementos.
During Christmas, Dodie hosted parties for family and friends, where everyone would gather for a celebration sharing food, gifts and memories. The reason everyone always wanted to gather at Dodie’s place, is because she was not only beautiful she had a beautiful heart. Her heart shone through and captured the spirit of Christmas, which was about giving. And the thing she wanted to give most was memories of family spending time together.
Christmastime, and later the many Christmas Trees that would decorate their house on Lakeview Street, were something that was truly memorable about Dodie and will always be cherished. When Doris and Wilbur moved into Assisted Living in the summer of 2016, a fully decorated Christmas Tree was soon to follow and stood thoughtfully next to Dodie’s bedside and was there bringing her joy every day until the end.
Dodie was a beautiful woman and loved to get dressed up and always had beautiful jewelry she would wear that twinkled in the light of the many Christmas trees. Family would gather around eating and drinking with Christmas carols playing in the background and think it was a bit crazy to have sometimes up to 12 fully decorated Christmas Trees in one house, but also admired her complete commitment to their presence.
In later years, granddaughter Alissa started the holiday tradition for the ladies of the family to gather for High Tea at the Brown Palace. Dodie relished getting dressed up and getting to have “girly” time in such an elegant setting.
A Lifetime of Travel Memories
An adventurous lady at heart, Doris truly was a woman that had a lust for life, and all it had to offer. Over the years as more success came their way, she and Wilbur were able to reap the benefits of their hard work by traveling the world with family and friends throughout the years. She especially delighted in the many “Girls” trips she took with family and friends.
As early members of the Denver-based Ports of Call Travel Club; Doris and Wilbur enjoyed many trips to Mexico, the Caribbean, Bahamas and Europe. Often traveling with other couples or family members, they greatly relished the time they were able to travel and experience many unique destinations. A favorite memory was spending their 25th Wedding Anniversary in Nassau, Bahamas and a family trip to Barbados.
For ten summers (1988–1997) the Wright/Bush Families would spend time at Lake Powell, Utah on the houseboat The Money Pit. As one of the premier boating destinations in the world, with its turquoise waters and numerous side canyons, Lake Powell was an annual tradition that Dodie enjoyed immensely. The annual trip was filled with fun family activities like boating, skiing, wake-boarding and jet-skiing, not to mention dare devil cliff diving—but it was the unforgettable memories made that were the most precious for Doris.
Forever in Our Hearts
Dodie’s family was the light of her life, and she let them all know it until the end. She adored her children Cyndi and Steve and her grandchildren, Trevor, Alissa, Brandon, Matt, Chris and Taylor. She was especially thrilled to have another generation of great grandchildren Ethan, Alex and Sophie to share her love. She saw them frequently and each one of them had a special bond and connection with her.
In her life, Doris was a force for spreading love in the world. Her legacy, a compelling force of happiness and love, continues in those many people whose lives she touched. Doris is with us today in our hearts and words can not express how much she meant to family and friends. We know she is watching over us and continues to be with us in spirit. We will remember Doris Wright as the charitable, supportive, tenacious and loving person she was, and are grateful that we are better because of her love, kindness and generosity on this earth. She was a beautiful and glorious soul and will be greatly missed by all of us as she lives on in our hearts.
We will greatly miss her and will always cherish and hold close the times we spent together. She was always there when we needed her and was the most loving and caring wife, mother, sister, aunt and grandmother.
We all Love You, Dodie! May you be blessed in your journey.
Memorial Donations
The family requests that you consider a donation in the Memory of Doris Wright to one of the following charities that were important to her:
Cancer League of Colorado:
www.cancerleague.org/donate
Assistance League of Denver:
www.assistanceleague.org/denver/
St. Jude’s Children Hospital:
www.stjude.org/donate
Where Flowers Bloom…So Does Love
Dodie believed that flowers made people more joyful and happier and that they were sunshine and food for the soul. The adage that “every flower has to grow through dirt” is a life metaphor that conveys hope and faith for every gardener. Dodie adored her Lakeview House and the lavish flower beds and beautiful hanging pots of flowers that bloomed every year.
She especially loved her roses and the colorful array of seasonal blooms.
Love for the beauty that flowers bring is a seed sown that never dies. We hope you will plant some seeds of Love in your garden as a way to remember and honor Doris Wright and the unique beauty she brought to this world.
Bright and Shining Star
The Star with the coordinates
RA: 10h30m37 20s DEC +55°58’50.1”
has Been named the Doris E. Wright Star
Doris will always be a bright and shining star in our hearts.
