Surname Index
Updated: 17 Jan 2012

Lonnie Wright Memorial

 
No one is gone unless they are forgotten

Daily Oklahoman
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
April 30, 2006, pg 25a

Lonnie Wright, Director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotic, died April 27, 2006 of a massive heart attack suffered at his home.

He was 51 years old and is survived by his wife, Rita, his daughter, Rachel, his mother, Wilma, and a brother, Mark. His father, Gene, and a beloved son, Wesley, preceded him in death.

Wright was a much-recruited All-State athlete at Choctaw High School. Upon graduation he accepted a full football scholarship from the University of Oklahoma. He graduated from the University in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Law Enforcement Administration. He was proud to have played on two National Championship teams. 

© photo courtesty Mother, Wilma Wright, Nov 2007

© photo courtesy Mother, Wilma Wright, Nov 2007

In 1977 Wright joined the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, a time when the agency was in its infancy with only seven agents, statewide. He quickly distinguished himself among his contemporaries by his intelligence, courage, and ability. He was particularly adept in developing and successfully bringing to fruition complex conspiratorial cases against international air smugglers and other organized criminal groups that were prosecuted in state and federal courts throughout the southern and southwestern United States. In 1981 he was promoted to Agent-in-Charge of the Oklahoma City Enforcement Division. In 1988, Wright was promoted to the position of Chief Agent of the Bureau's Intelligence Division. In that capacity, he successfully provided oversight and direction to the establishing of the Statewide Intelligence Network Project and Gang Enforcement Project. Additionally, Wright helped pioneer the highly successful Wire Intercept Project designed to identify and target some of the largest drug organizations operating in this part of the United States. Wright was named Director of OBN in 2003. In the fall of 2003, Director Wright helped draft HB 2176, a measure regulating pseudo-ephedrine that drastically reduced methamphetamine laboratories in the State of Oklahoma. It has become model legislation for the entire country and has been adopted by numerous other states. A very private man, Director Wright was most comfortable in the company of his family and old friends. Yet, he was by nature an affable man, easy to approach, generous in his judgment of others, and tolerant of differences of opinions. He enjoyed open discussions and rarely engaged in heated arguments. He had many friends and few enemies as a result. The State of Oklahoma knew him only briefly as a public man and administrator. Those who knew him well were not surprised at his early achievements. Indeed, they expected them.

His death came too early to test the fullness of the considerable abilities of this honorable man. Friends may pay their respects at Ford Funeral Service from 8am to 8pm Sunday or at the State Capital Rotunda, first floor, from 7am to 11am Monday.

Funeral Services will be conducted by Ford Funeral Service at 2pm Monday at St. Monica Catholic Church.

© photo courtesty Mother, Wilma Wright, Nov 2007

Daily Oklahoman, The
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
May 1, 2006, page 13

The state’s landmark antimethamphetamine law should include the name of the narcotics bureau chief who helped write the measure, the governor said Sunday. 

Gov. Brad Henry said he will ask legislators to name the measure in honor of Lonnie Wright, who died last week. 

“Under the leadership of Lonnie Wright, the state crafted an innovative and highly effective anti-meth law that virtually wiped out clandestine meth labs in Oklahoma and served as a model for the national war on drugs,” Henry said. 

Wright, 51, a key advocate for the law to restrict the sale of a key meth ingredient, died Thursday of a heart attack. 

Wright’s body will lie in repose from 7 to 11 a.m. today on the first-floor rotunda of the state Capitol. His funeral is set for 2 p.m. today at St. Monica Catholic Church in Edmond. 

Wright had served as director of the state Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control. 

The governor has ordered state flags to fly at half staff today in Wright’s honor. He plans to pay his respects this morning at the Capitol. 

“I think it would only be appropriate to honor Director Wright by adding his name to the statute,” Henry said. “That is the least we can do to pay tribute to the memory of a dedicated and nationally recognized law enforcement professional.” 

The 2004 legislation now carries the names of several law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty in the battle against methamphetamine. 

At Wright’s urging two years ago, Oklahoma became the first state to restrict over-the-counter sales of pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in meth production. Since its enactment, meth lab discoveries within the Sooner State have dropped dramatically and dozens of other states and the federal government have copied Oklahoma’s law in hopes of duplicating its success. 

The law requires all products containing pseudoephedrine, except liquids and liquid-filled capsules, to be sold only by a licensed pharmacy. 
Lab seizures totaled 104 in the month before the measure took effect. Drug agents now average seizing about two active labs a month. 
The national drug czar visited Oklahoma in March to present an award to Wright for his work in the war on methamphetamine. 
Most recently, the governor had been working with Wright and state law enforcement officers on legislation that would strengthen penalties for meth importers, put more undercover agents on the street and fund methamphetamine treatment and education programs. 
“After wiping out meth labs in Oklahoma, Director Wright thought it was critical to focus law enforcement efforts on the high-grade meth imported from Mexico and other countries,” Henry said. “I will be working with legislative leaders to help finish the work he started this session.”

Daily Oklahoman, The
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
April 29, 2006

Drug chief played role in meth law 

Friends and admirers of Lonnie Wright credited him Friday with designing an Oklahoma drug law that has been copied nationwide. 

Wright, who died on Thursday of an apparent heart attack, was director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control. From that position, he was able to strangle much of the methamphetamine manufacturing in Oklahoma. 

“It’s a huge loss for Oklahoma and nationally because the meth bill became the blueprint for fighting meth in America,” Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel said. 
Whetsel said Wright, named director in 2003, was the only peace officer who could take on drug makers to pass the law, which was sponsored by Rep. John Nance, RBethany, and Sen. Dick Wilkerson, D-Atwood. 

The law restricted the amount of pseudoephedrine — a key meth ingredient — a customer can buy. 

Aside from that law, Whetsel said Wright brought local officials together with the state agency in a way never previously seen. 
“Love for drug enforcement was really his life,” said Whetsel, Wright’s friend for 30 years. 

Wright was 51 and had shown no signs of sickness before his death. Wright’s funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at St. Monica Catholic Church, 2001 N Western Ave., in Edmond. 

Wright was an offensive lineman at the University of Oklahoma and held season tickets there, said Mark Woodward, spokesman for the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. But it was his work ethic that stood out to friends and co-workers. 

After the meth bill’s passage two years ago, Wright started working to fight prescription drug fraud and drugs in schools, Woodward said. 

State Attorney General Drew Edmondson said aside from his professionalism, it was also the way he lived his life that made him special. 

“He was a fine leader and advocate for law and order,” Edmondson said. “Oklahoma’s law enforcement community lost a fine man.” 

Tulsa World
Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma
April 28, 2006, pg A13

Lonnie Wright, a longtime narcotics agent who was director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control for the past three years, died Thursday.

Wright came to the agency in 1977. He retired for a year and went to work for the District Attorneys Council but eventually returned to the drug agency, [Mark Woodward] said.

Tulsa World
Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma
September 12, 2003 pg A11

Stronger regulation of pseudoephedrine, which is found in over- the-counter cold medications, will meet with loud objections from pharmaceutical lobbyists, said Lonnie G. Wright, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control.

In 2002, the city of Tulsa reported 178 meth labs, up from 61 in 1996, [Tim Harris] said.

Harris, who called methamphetamine a public health epidemic, said 74 percent of children who were removed from households where meth was produced tested positive for a controlled dangerous substance in their urine or blood.

Sources:  good faith fair use of sources stated above
              © photo courtesty Mother, Wilma Wright, Nov 2007

Compiled, transcribed and submitted by Marti Graham, Oklahoma County, OKGenWeb Coordinator, November 2007. Information posted for educational purposes for viewers and researchers. The contributor is not related to nor researching any of the above.

I believe in random acts of kindness and I believe in sharing genealogy. If you have copies of photos, obituaries, wills, biographies, or stories relating to any of these families or other Oklahoma County families, would you consider sending them my way for publication at this site?

I always welcome comments and corrections.