LUMBERTON – Georgeva Gerald Wright, born August 23, 1925, has officially joined the ranks of centenarians, marking 100 years of a life dedicated to education, family, and community.
Born during the Roaring Twenties, Wright has lived through some of the most defining moments of modern history — World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, the fall of the Soviet Union, the rise of the internet, and even the COVID-19 pandemic. Over her lifetime, she witnessed tremendous social change, from women gaining voting rights to the election of the first African American president and vice president.
A lifelong educator, Wright graduated salutatorian from Hilly Branch High School in 1942 at just 16. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Fayetteville Teachers College in 1948, later completing her master’s degree at A&T State University. Wright spent 35 years teaching — beginning at Rosenwald High School in Fairmont and later serving Robeson County Public Schools and High Point, NC. She retired in 1982, leaving behind generations of students who remember her lessons in both academics and character.
Beyond the classroom, Wright has been a devoted community leader. At Hilly Branch Baptist Church, founded by her ancestor Rev. Alexander H. Alexander, she served as choir musician, missionary chairperson, Sunday School teacher, and co-author of the church’s first written history. She also helped establish its first Vacation Bible School. Wright’s civic involvement extended to organizations like the Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star, the Lumber River Housing Development, and Jack & Jill of America.
Her influence extends deeply into her family’s legacy. As a leading contributor to The Thompson-Ashley Family Impact: Celebrating Our Past, Embracing Our Future (2024), she helped preserve genealogical records tracing back to the 1700s and highlighted her family’s role in founding the Thompson Institute and several historic Robeson County churches.
Wright’s advice remains timeless: educators should “treat all students alike,” while students should set clear goals, stay engaged in church and community, and never forget their civic duty to vote.
Known for her love of travel, Wright has journeyed across the U.S. and abroad, visiting Mexico, Canada, France, and Italy. Yet, at her core, she has always been a servant-leader rooted in faith, family, and community.
She is the widow of Booker T. Wright, mother to Andrea Wright Banks-Zuniga and Cynthia Wright-Richard, grandmother to John-Wright St. Clair Zuniga and Keith Marshem Richard, and the late Wallace Everett Banks Jr.
As Lumberton celebrates her 100 years, Georgeva Wright stands as a living testament to resilience, service, and the enduring power of education.
