Darlene May (Vedder) Wright, 77, died peacefully on January 11, 2014 at Life Care Center of Richland, in Richland, Washington. She was born on May 29, 1936 in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, to Clarence and Katherine Lenoa Vedder, the oldest of four children/ Darlene was baptized and received First Holy Communion at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, where she was a member of the church until her late twenties. She graduated high school on May 23rd, 1954 from the Academy of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, and attended the Kinman Business University in Spokane Washington. Darlene married Andrew Wright on November 24, 1966 at the Hitching Post in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, and they loved each other for 47 years. She loved her family fiercely and devoted her life to watching them grow.

Darlene enjoyed many different activities. Most recently she spent many long hours sewing quilts for her family and then lap quilts for for local nursing homes. As her eye sight began to fail she still continued to sew by doing embroidery work every day. On sunny days she would be found outside planting flowers, doing daily yard chores, visiting with neighbors, or just sitting on her patio swing soaking up the sun. Wherever she would go she would bring along a word search book because she always wanted to keep her mind active even when she was just riding passenger in a car.

Darlene was a wonderful, loving and devoted wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend and we will miss her tremendously. We find comfort in the knowledge that she has found peace with the Angels. Darlene is survived by her husband, Andrew Wright, of Connell, WA, her children Donna (Dave Williams) Wright of Moscow, ID, David Moorman of Spokane, WA, Chandler Dee (Pennie) Wright of East Wenatchee, WA, Dianna Wright, Kathy (Danny) Abbott of Connell, WA, her sisters Colleen Fitzgerald of Spokane, WA, Anna Marie Halpern of Rathdrum, ID, her brother Clarence Richard (Dawn) Vedder of Cheney, WA, her grandchildren Amber (Patrick) Marchelli of Pullman, WA, Nichole (Michael) Nelson-Cuello of Burbank, WA, Alex (Breanna) Wright of East Wenatchee, WA, Daniel (Barbara Tollefson) Abbott of Othello, WA, Robbie Wright of East Wenatchee, WA, Joseph (Sahara Kendall) Abbott of Richland, WA, Josh DeVleming of Othello, WA. Ethan Ayers of Connell, WA, and her great grandchildren Jasmine Reese, Kira Reese, Logan Reese, and Gavin Marchelli all of Pullman, WA.

Darlene chose to be cremated and to have her ashes scattered near Coeur d'Alene Lake where she spent her childhood. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date