Ervin Douglas Wright Ii

Ervin Douglas Wright II
"A Special Kind of Man"

Ervin Douglas Wright II, age 70, of Olathe, Kansas, passed on May 22, 2022. Surrounded by his family and dog and in his home, he went to the Lord in peace. As he wanted and He allowed. Visitation will be on Tuesday, May 31st from 10-11 am with Mass of Christian Burial starting at 11 am at St. Paul Catholic Church, 21650 W. 115th Ter., Olathe, KS. Burial will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Olathe, KS.

Born on September 27, 1951 in Anderson, Indiana, as the second of two children to Ervin "Sonny" Douglas Wright Sr. and Pearl "Mimi" Mae Wright. He graduated from Anderson High School, received a Bachelor of Education from Indiana State University, and a Master's of Science in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Atlanta. He married Cheryl Jean Ellis, his college sweetheart, in 1974. That same year, the Indianapolis Recorder (a weekly news publication) described him as a "special kind of man" for his contributions to teaching, athletics (coaching wrestling, basketball, and track in addition to officiating wrestling and holding a 3rd degree black belt in hapkido), and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Ervin dedicated his life to nurturing comprehensive excellence in everyone around him.

Following six years of teaching and coaching at Shortridge High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, state-wide teacher strikes in 1979 prompted him to seek a more secure and certain future for his young family (Dominick' was born in 1978 and by 1979 Brandi was on her way). Offered a position in sales by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), Ervin refused it when they requested he dress in navy or black suits instead of the orange plaid one he wore to his interview. Pharmaceutical sales it was. Intrepid and filled with faith in God, Ervin was a geographical bachelor living in Kansas and covering the Nebraska-Kansas-Missouri-Iowa region for a short period before his wife and now two children joined him. Working for multiple top-notch companies (Bristol-Meyers-Squibb; Johnson and Johnson; McNeill; Roche Labs; and Roche-Genentech), Ervin ultimately became a national sales instruction facilitator after over 20 years of repeatedly ranking among the highest globally in sales performance.

Retiring as a pharmaceutical professional, Ervin worked with his son-in-law, Jarmel, at Kwikshop for a brief stint before returning to his original loves of education and coaching. He had coached Dominick', Brandi, and Eniak in multiple sports across the years, but this was his opportunity to engage high school athletes at the school he loved, Olathe North Senior High, in two sports that he loved, wrestling and track. Going from coaching Eniak to coaching with Eniak marked a special transition for him. He staunchly supported his wife as she obtained her Masters and Doctoral degrees in education and had one of his proudest moments when Brandi became an elementary school principal (he always told her leadership in education was her calling). He was equally proud of Jarmel for being an exceptional Kwikshop employee, rising from entry-level associate to regional manager. Never knowing what exactly he could say about Dominick's job other than he works in D.C. for the Department of Defense, he was proud of him too.

Ervin and Cheryl came to Kansas as a family of four. With their engaging personalities, sound work ethics, and blessings from the Lord, their family grew almost innumerably. Throughout that time, a few of the organizations he served as a member included: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; the Fellowship of Christian Athletes; St. Paul Catholic Church (Men's Prayer Group, Usherer, Greeter, and Lecturer); Knights of Columbus; and Indian Princess (with his daughter).

His parents and eldest nephew, William Ervin Newsom, preceded him in death.

Ervin is survived by: wife of 48 years, Cheryl Jean Wright; sister, Constance "Connie" Anne Newsom; son, Dominick' Ervin Wright (Eliza); daughter, Brandi Shontae Leggett (Jarmel); son, Eniak Mpwo; granddaughter, Jabria Shankar Leggett; grandson, Malik' Aaron Cosby-Wright; granddaughter, Tynée Aleemah Leggett; granddaughter, Aaliyah Destiny Leggett; granddaughter, Skylar Janaye Leggett; nephew, Gregory Van Newsom, Jr.; and nephew, Malakai Matthias Newsom.

Please consider supporting the Olathe North wrestling team through a contribution to the Ervin Douglas Wright II Memorial Fund. To do so, visit Click Here to donate or send a check payable to the Olathe Public Schools Foundation, 300 East Loula St., Olathe, KS, 66061. Please note the name of the fund on the memo line.

To leave a message of condolence for Ervin's family or to share a special memory of Ervin, visit the guestbook below.