Mary Luetta Wright (Age 88) of Fort Washington, Maryland.

Deaconess Mary Luetta (McClam) Wright was born on August 15, 1931 in Lake City, South Carolina.  She was the youngest child and only daughter of four children born to the late Paul and Annie McClam. Mary had a Christian upbringing in rural South Carolina.  Her grandparents, Deacon Richard and Mary McClam and Reverend Eli and Clara McClam, were inspirational in her life, as well as, her parents and other family members.  She attended Mt. Clair Baptist Church in Lake City where she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She was baptized at the age of 13.  Growing up, she was active in Sunday School, junior ushers, and the Church choir.

She was the loving wife of James Wright, Jr. Their union was blessed with four children, Annell, Frances, Glenn, and Kelvin.  Mary relocated several times with her late husband during his military career, including Washington, D.C., Georgia, Virginia, and Oklahoma.  Upon his retirement from the military, the family returned to the Washington, D.C. area in the 1960's.  She was an active member of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church for many years.  During this time, she served as a delegate at the Progressive Baptist Convention representing the Adult Women's Sunday School, Women's Missionary Auxiliaries, and the Senior Usher Ministry.

In April 1991, Mary was present when Reverend Joseph W. Lyles, Pastor of Fort Foote Baptist Church, delivered a powerful message, entitled "Love Lifted Me".  The sermon touched her heart and she was led by God to become an active member of the Fort Foote Baptist Church. She served as a Senior Usher; a liaison to the Junior Usher Ministry; a teacher for the New Members Adult class; an Altar Counselor; and a member of several ministries to include Missions, Prime Timers, and Drama.

She answered her calling from God to become a faithful and obedient servant as a deaconess to do His will.  In the mid 1990's, the Lord blessed Mary to travel to the Holy Land where God fulfilled a dream she held in her heart from a young child.  After reading in the Bible that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, she dreamed of being baptized there as well.  In March 1995, Mary was re-baptized in the Jordan River in the name of Jesus by Reverend Morris Sharon of Israel Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.

In addition to her decades of service to the church, Mary also dedicated two decades of service to the federal government as an administrative professional advancing to statistician assistant.  The Lord blessed Mary to retire from the Bureau of the Census after 20 years of service. Mary also was very gifted seamstress.  For decades, she made clothes for herself, family, and friends.  She was known for matching stylish outfits that she made herself, with the "baddest" church hats in the land.  In addition, she was a gifted cook and was known for her delicious pound cake. She kept the recipe a secret for decades before revealing it to her oldest daughter a few years ago.  She was a woman before her time and was very independent.  This independence led her to inspire all four of her children to obtain college degrees, beginning a new legacy for future generations.  Subsequently, her two adult grandchildren have college degrees and successful careers.

Mary departed this world for her heavenly home on September 4, 2019, surrounded by loving family members.  Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Annie McClam, and her brothers, Roy and Claf McClam.  She leaves to cherish her memory, four beautiful children, Annell Williams (Willie) of Fort Washington, MD; Frances Wright of Baltimore, MD; Glenn Wright of Arlington, TX; and Kelvin Wright (Vangie) of Brandywine, MD.  She has three grandchildren, Lateefah Williams of Washington, D.C.; Bakari Williams (Takiyah) of Alexandria, VA; and Shelby Wright of Brandywine, MD; one great grandchild, Samira Williams and a great grandson due this month of Alexandria, VA;  one brother, Curtis McClam of Fairmont Heights, MD; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, church members, and many friends.

Her Viewing will be, 10:00 am, until time of Service, 11:00 am, Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at Fort Foote Baptist Church, 8310 Fort Foote Road, Fort Washington, Maryland 20744.  Interment, Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, 4001 Suitland Road, Suitland, Maryland 20746.