[Bristol-Birds] Haynes Wright, Shady Valley convservationist, passed away May 21.

From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Bristol-birds" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 30 May 2012 22:40:59 -0400
Haynes JJ Wright, age 88, one of the best friends birders have enjoyed in Shady 
Valley, TN, passed away on Monday, May 21, 2012 in Bristol, VA.   He was owner 
of special natural resources.

He owned two of the most wonderful old growth timber stands in the region.  
Haynes was always generous in allowing us to bird among his giant hemlocks and 
to do bird surveys of all types on his property.  One of his tracks includes a 
special Appalachian bog forest habitat which is a gorgeous woodland pond.  

His lands were available to Ron Harrington and Wallace Coffey for several years 
to monitor bird populations as part of the Cornell University's Birds in 
Forested Landscape research.  Kevin Hamed and Dr. Tom Laughlin of ETSU studied 
amphibian populations at the woodland pond. In 1994, Greg Harris of Bristol, 
VA, conducted a study of birds in an old growth forest stand as part of his 
research under Dr. Fred Alsop III at ETSU.

Haynes is survived by his two sons, David Haynes Wright and wife Sarah of 
Adelaide, Australia and John McEwen Wright of Charleston, SC; two sisters, 
Letha Sluder and Ruby Testerman; and four grandchildren, Isaac Haynes Wright, 
Jonathan James Wright, Eleanor Caroline Wright, and Abigail Mae Wright.  He is 
preceded in death by his wife of 43 years, Dr. Nellie Ray Dorsey Wright; two 
brothers, Kyle Wright and Walter Preston Wright; and two sisters, Retha McKee 
and Ruth Douglas. 

Kenneth Sluder, and Alton Sluder are nephews who have taken a special interest 
in helping naturalists with various aspects of Shady Valley interest.

Working with Wallace Coffey, Haynes and his sister Ruby Testerman of Roanoke, 
met with Gabby Call of the Nature Conservancy at Abingdon, VA a few years ago 
to explore The Nature Conservancy's interest in protecting the old growth 
forest stands.  Haynes owns nearly 80 acres of forest and his sister about 60 
acres.  His nephew, Dennis Testerman of North Carolina, has spent years working 
to get conservation easements to protect this special forest lands.  

Born to the late Allen Jesse Wright and Girdie Bell McEwen Wright at the home 
in Crandull (north end of Shady Valley), Johnson County, Tennessee. Haynes was 
raised on a Century Farm the youngest of seven children. 

Haynes worked his way through college earning a bachelor's degree from East 
Tennessee State University. He served as a health inspector for the Virginia 
State Health Department from 1951-1985. Following his retirement Wright served 
as a social worker for the Washington County Fuel Assistance Program. He bought 
and operated his own pioneer century farm on Old Jonesboro Road in Bristol Va. 
from 1955 until 2007 making both a home and business there with his wife Dr. 
Nellie Ray Wright. 

The Wrights were active members of both Central Presbyterian and Sinking Spring 
Presbyterian Churches. Haynes served as Deacon and Elder at church and they 
were welcome hosts to foreign exchange students at their home through the 
Educational Foundation. Dedicated to service in his career and church his civic 
activities included both Jaycees and Kiwanis Club as well. Upon retirement 
Haynes and Nellie found time to travel worldwide and became officers of the 
Shoun Family Association and were active in the Johnson County Historical 
Society. 

The funeral service were held Saturday, May 26, 2012 at Sinking Spring 
Presbyterian Church with Rev. Tim Reynolds officiating. A committal service was 
held Sunday, at Forest Hills Memory Gardens near Abingdon. Honorary pallbearers 
were Michael Testerman, Dennis Testerman, Herbert Sluder, Kenneth Sluder, Alton 
Sluder, and Sam Rock.
[Bristol-Birds] Haynes Wright, Shady Valley convservationist, passed away May 21.

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