Dallas Junior Wright

Dallas Junior Wright, 94, of Salem, Virginia, passed away on Friday, December 19, 2024, with his family at his side.

Dallas was born on September 3, 1930, in Fort Lewis Holler to Dallas and Ida Wright. Known as "Rebel" or "Junior", he was raised on Poor Mountain with his sisters, Glenna and Betty, where the family had a small farm. He charmed bees, grew up on creek water and buttermilk, and won spelling contests.

He proudly served in the US Marine Corps from 1950 to 1952 as a diesel mechanic and truck driver. He saw combat during the Korean War, where he often found himself in the demilitarized zone.

Dallas met his wife, Peggy Maiden Wright, at her record store in Salem, Virginia. They shared a love of bluegrass music and performing. In the 1970s, he and Peggy hosted a live radio show and they traveled as far as Cuba to perform music with his bluegrass band, The Harmony Mountaineers, for the US Navy stationed there.

One of his proudest achievements was graduating from the Citizen's Police Academy through the City of Salem Police Department in 2004. He loved Salem and believed it to be the very best place in the world to live. He made a home in the East Bottom of Salem, where he ran an excavating business. He also hosted music nights, known as Dallas on Delaware, the second and fourth Saturdays of every month for many years.

Dallas was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Kim; and his sister, Glenna.

He is survived by his sister, Betty (Richard); daughters, Sherry (Glenn) and Robin; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

In their young years he spent a lot of time with his nieces and nephews, teaching them to walk on stilts and find all sorts of mischief. Dallas had many friends, some of whom became family to him. He loved Frank Aprile (Elena) with the fierceness and protectiveness of a father and the joy and playfulness of a best friend. He greatly enjoyed the banter with his "daughter", Lisa Bannister, whom he affectionately referred to as Raven.

The family would like to acknowledge and thank the incredible staff at the Salem VA Medical Center, especially the teams at the dialysis and hospice units. Dennis, Jennifer, Kathy, John, Donald, Lori, Georgine, and Drs. Viers and Fortuna will always be angels to us.

Family and friends may gather from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, December 22, 2024, at the John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home in Salem, Virginia. A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 23, 2024, in the funeral home's chapel. Interment will immediately follow at Sherwood Memorial Park.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.johnmoakey.com.

Somewhere Dallas is flat footin', pickin', and hootin' and hollerin'. We hear you, Dallas. Lay that thumb in there.