Brother Thomas Frederick “Tom” Wright, C.Ss.R., 76, of Whittier, Calif., died April 25, 2022, in Whittier of complications from pancreatic cancer. Bro. Wright was a financial administrator who served as treasurer for Ligouri Mission House near Barnhart from 1984 to 1995. Known for his financial expertise and strict adherence to proper protocols, he served his community with efficiency and generosity for 51 years.
He was born April 5, 1946, in Chicago and attended St. Michael School before entering the Redemptorist Brothers School at Pine City. Assigned to kitchen duties, he became an accomplished cook. He made his first profession of vows on Aug. 2, 1966, and served as assistant to the registrar at Immaculate Conception College in Oconomowoc, Wis., and then at Holy Redeemer College in Waterford, Wis. He professed perpetual vows on March 15, 1971, and began a lengthy ministry in the financial arena.
He served as a financial administrator at St. Joseph’s Preparatory College in Edgerton, Wis., and at St. Alphonsus Parish in Chicago, then served briefly as director of food services at Mount St. Alphonsus Theologate in Esopus, N.Y. In 1980, he returned to Holy Redeemer College as director of financial aid and vice president of plant operations. He was appointed treasurer of Liguori Publications in 1984 and was responsible for the construction of the St. Clement’s Health Care Center. He was appointed treasurer of the former St. Louis Province in Glenview, Ill., and relocated to Denver in 1996. He returned to Jefferson County to serve briefly as administrator of health services at St. Clement’s before returning to Denver as assistant treasurer in 2008. At age 65 he joined the staff of St. Alphonsus Parish in New Orleans and in 2015 joined the Evangelization Community at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Whittier, where he served as business manager until September of 2021.
Memorial Mass was held April 28 at St. Mary of the Assumption Church. A rosary service is scheduled at 3 p.m. and a wake at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6, at St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community in Ligouri. Mass of Resurrection will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 7, followed by a private burial. Memorials may be made to Redemptorists of the Denver Province, 1633 North Cleveland Ave., Chicago, IL 60614. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home in Festus.