Jshoke Avery Wright

JSHOKE AVERY WRIGHT

    Jshoke Avery Wright was born on September 7, 1977, in Cortez, CO, the first child of Steven Del Wright and Glenna Kaye (Warner) Wright. His grandma Benni Jo (Jackson) Warner recalls Jshoke trying so hard to open one eye and then the other. His grandad, Glenn Louis Warner looked on with love. Grandparents, Charles Adelbert and Margaret Lois Wright were also there to welcome him to the family tree.  

   Jshoke lived most of his childhood living along the river in Arboles, CO. Just about 13 months after he entered the world, he welcomed a playmate and sister, Tiffany Nicole. They grew up playing with sticks and rocks and good old dirt in the Arboles/Ignacio area. Jshoke would search for just the right size sticks or even carrots to make logs for his boy sized log trailer. Some of Jshoke's favorite memories were of the summers spent camping on the mountains where his dad had logging sales. Grandad Glenn and Dad Steve were loggers and Jshoke adored being with the guys in the woods. By age 12, Jshoke was operating most of the logging equipment and learned to drive the semi-trucks. That may be where the love for logging entered his blood, but was most likely it was there from birth.

Jshoke attended schools in Ignacio, CO and graduated high school with honors. 

  A Navy recruiter enticed Jshoke to see the world, so he enlisted shortly after high school. After realizing college to become a Navy officer in Boulder, CO wasn't for him, he was stationed in San Diego, CA as an electrician's mate.  For many months he was not yet assigned to a ship, so he spent his days mopping floors in the barracks. During that time, he drove one Thanksgiving leave to visit close family friends (the Butler family) in Mancos, CO. At midnight, that night after the Thanksgiving meal, April walked in the door with a Dr. Pepper and she and Jshoke met for the first time as adults. You could say it was love at first sight. As children, Jshoke and April would occasionally see each other when Jshoke's mom would come to the Butler farm to buy corn or potatoes. Jshoke's grandma Warner and April's granny Butler were close friends. The young Jshoke would say April couldn't play with the boys in the side yard because she had cooties. She must have grown out of them because after that Thanksgiving leave, Jshoke and April were dating. Six days later Jshoke drove the 7 hours to Flagstaff where April was living and proposed at midnight.  He would tease that he wanted to marry April because she liked Dr. Pepper. But then he would comment that he just knew that she was the one. Just three months later, on February 6th, Jshoke was baptized into the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and their wedding was held at midnight that night.

  They began their married life in San Diego where Jshoke was assigned to the USS Peleliu. He had two WEST-PAC tours in the next 4 years. The USS Peleliu was the 1st ship to reach the gulf after the 9/11 attacks. Jshoke was aboard. He finished his six year enlistment, and was honorably discharged Sept 2002.

  Jshoke and April moved to Colorado and started "Sparking Freedom Ent.", a logging and transport company. In the off seasons of logging, Jshoke drove his Peterbilt locally and over the road but logging always remained his passion. In recent years, April rode with Jshoke and they toured the US, even driving the 18-wheeler over the Florida Keys and into Canada. 

July of 2003 the couple were overjoyed to welcome their daughter, Jynaya Alyss. Jshoke was a crazy devoted daddy to this amazing miracle that was his and April's. He was always there to lighten any mood, to make them laugh, protect them from harm, and to shower them with love. 

Throughout the next 20 years, they lived in Ignacio, Cortez, Mancos, Hesperus, La Vida Mission and Chama, NM. While at La Vida Mission, serving for 5 years, he taught mechanics and welding. He was greatly admired by both children and staff. 

   Jshoke loved putting his toes in the sand and snorkeling with the fish; laughing deeply and telling dad jokes; solving giant jig saw puzzles and gaming with brothers; playing board games around the table with friends and family; eating fresh teriyaki salmon in Sarasota, FL, or homemade doughnuts anywhere. He lived life to the fullest, had strong faith, great integrity, was honest in all avenues, would take time with kindness to help a stranger or friend, loved with abandon, and touched so many lives. 

   On February 7, 2024, Jshoke and April celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. In July of 2024, Jshoke was to walk his beautiful daughter down the aisle to marry her best friend and his buddy, Ryan Bell.

February 20, 2024, Jshoke's life was ended suddenly while logging in the quiet and beauty of the mountains above Pagosa Springs, CO, doing what he loved. 

   He was preceded in death by his mother, Glenna Kay Warner; granddad, Glenn Warner; granddad, Charles Wright; and grandma, Lois Wright.

He is survived by his wife, April Laureen (Butler) Wright; daughter, Jynaya Alyss Wright; father, Steven Wright of Arboles, CO; sister, Tiffany (Wright) Michaels of Dayton, WA; brother, Jonathan Stevenson; grandmother, Benni Jo (Jackson) Warner-Shuker of San Juan, CA. 

   This sorrow and loss can't be explained in words, but Jshoke and family believe this is not the end. Jshoke will rise to smile and laugh and love again on resurrection morning, when His Savior comes to call him to his forever home.