A life well lived: Annie Wright

With hearts full of love and sadness, we share the passing of Annie Perry Wright, a luminous spirit whose presence brought joy, adventure, and kindness to everyone she touched. Born in October 1954, in Durango, Colorado, Annie lived a life brimming with energy, creativity, and a devotion to her family, friends, and community.

Annie’s early years in Colorado were marked by her joyful excitement for life. Her father, Dr. Robert “Bob” Perry, and loving mother Patricia (“Patty”), moved to Denver when Annie was six where Bob was able to establish his medical practice. Annie quickly became the family instigator of fun and adventure, often joined by her brothers, monkeys, horses, and on bikes with her inseparable childhood best friend, DeDe. By age three, she was skiing downhill with ease, and by elementary school, she could outrun anyone on the playground with blue ribbons to prove it. Junior high saw her stepping into leadership roles, and by high school, she had set her sights on the world. Her wanderlust carried her across Europe during her senior year as part of the touring group Up with People.

Annie attended Colorado College and took her time because there were always new adventures on the horizon.  Her love of the natural world and an innate talent for seeing beauty and potential in landscapes eventually led her to the Conway School of Landscape Design near Amherst, Massachusetts, where she earned her master’s degree in landscape architecture. Annie’s designs—crafted with both artistry and care—graced homes, organizations, and communities throughout her life. She had an extraordinary gift of vision for transforming spaces into places of connection and serenity. 

But it was always her family that brought her the greatest joy. In 1980, she married Dr. Steven Wright, the son of longtime family friends, under the Delicate Arch near Moab, Utah. Annie and Steve began their life together in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where for 18 years they started a family and nurtured a life filled with love, creativity, and discovery. Annie remodeled and landscaped charming adobe homes, worked at the local children’s museum and schools, and encouraged her children—Elliott, Perry, and Elizabeth—in their passions for sports, music, and philanthropic endeavors.

As their journey unfolded, Annie and Steve’s adventures took them to Shelby, North Carolina, and later back to Colorado, where Annie dedicated herself to supporting her children through college and beyond. In Colorado she became the beloved manager of La Garita Ranch in Creede, Colorado. She created a home full of warmth and inspiration, rooted in the values of compassion, curiosity, and independence.  

Annie and Steve moved to Bow Mar, Colorado to be close to Annie’s parents. She took her father to Costa Rica and India, and she participated in a few of Elizabeth’s community projects in Hawai’i and Belize. Annie cared for her dad and her mom until their passing. Steve’s retirement and the opportunity to relocate closer to their adult kids and grandkids finally took them to Ashland, Oregon with plans for a lavender farm and endless opportunities for remodeling, garden improvements and travel. In October 2024, Steve and Annie took a magical trip to Italy to celebrate Annie’s 70th birthday. 

Annie was a rare soul: fiercely independent yet endlessly selfless.  She will be remembered for her energy, free spirit, love of adventure and travel, and care for all living beings around her. In addition to her various gardens, she nurtured deep and lifelong friendships. And she was always so welcoming. Numerous friends of the Wright kids have Annie to thank for extending their home and offering support and kindness when they needed a place of refuge. It wasn’t unusual for Annie to bring home a stray puppy.  Many family dogs have her to thank for her interventions, and she will be missed by the many friends she made at the local dog parks.

To her family, she was also a beacon of light and love, teaching them to dance with joy, find connection in nature, and embrace the spirit of adventure. Her absence leaves a permanent ache, but her legacy will continue to inspire all who knew her.

Annie is survived by her loving husband, Steven; her children, Elliott Wright (Rachel), Perry Wright (Chloe Potter), and Elizabeth Wright (Andy Pahwa); her cherished grandchildren, Annalena, Asher, and Beau; her brother Bruce Perry and nieces Haley and Raeden; and Steven’s extended family, including mother Helen Wright, and sister Sue Wright (Sue Belatti), Kay Alford, and dear Harlan Alford (Emilie Gallagher). She now joins her parents, Robert and Patricia Perry, her brother Scott Perry.  She will also now have her hands full in a different realm playing with her newest grandson, Fitz Ann Potter (son of Chloe & Perry). 

A memorial service will be held in the spring when seeds begin to grow. To honor her memory we are welcoming you to be part of The Annie Project! She would want you to protect some nature, revitalize a plant bed, plant a tree, write a poem, create art, play with children, or donate to a cause she would have loved.

Annie’s life was filled with love, creativity, and connection. She leaves behind a world that is brighter for her presence.

Annie Wright among the Wildflowers