WRIGHT, Barton Allen

Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, AZ Thursday, March 17, 2011 Barton Allen Wright, 90, formerly of Flagstaff, died Wednesday, March 2, 2011, in Phoenix. Born in Bisbee to Roy and Anna Wright on Dec. 21, 1920, he and the family moved to Mohave County, where Mr. Wright graduated from Kingman High School. A veteran of World War II, he served in New Guinea and the Philippines. After the war, Mr. Wright married Margaret Nickelson, graduated from the University of Arizona and began his career as an artist for the Arizona State Museum. Mr. Wright worked as an archaeologist at Town Creek Indian Mound State Park in Mt. Gilead, N.C. and later at an excavation near Tumacacori for the Amerind Foundation. His master's thesis work was at Catclaw Cave on the Colorado River. He spent 22 years at the Museum of Northern Arizona as an artist, museum curator and co-administrator. From 1977 to 1983, he was scientific director at the San Diego Museum of Man. Upon retirement, Mr. Wright moved back to his beloved Arizona to continue research and writing. He acquired a vast knowledge of northwestern Arizona, and he held a river pilot's license for the Colorado River. He was a longtime student of Hopi Indian history and kachinas. A talented painter, scratch board illustrator and graphic artist, he illustrated many of his own publications. Mr. Wright is survived by Margaret, his wife of 62 years; children Matthew and Frances Elena; sister Calista Leonard of Tucson; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be Sunday, March 27, at 2:30 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 35th Avenue and Sweetwater, in Phoenix.