Congregation Prays for Pastor, Mourns Wife, Grandson

Mourners gathered Sunday at a memorial service in Brooklyn for Betty Wright, who died Friday evening in a car crash that has left her husband, the beloved Rev. Timothy Wright, in critical condition at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.

The couple’s 14-year-old grandson was also seriously injured and passed away Saturday night.

Timothy Wright, accompanied by his wife and grandson, had attended a Church of God in Christ conference in Detroit, Leroy Johnson, a trustee at Grace Tabernacle, said.

They were returning home, to Roosevelt, Long Island, when a terrible accident happened on Interstate 80 in Greene Township in north central Pennsylvania, at about 10:30 p.m. The Wrights’ car was struck head-on on eastbound Interstate 80 by a wrong-way driver, who also died.

Police identified the other motorist as John Pick, 44, of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Betty Wright, 58, died in the accident, police said. Grandson D. J. Wright, 14, died Saturday evening, a nursing supervisor at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville said Sunday, according to Newsday.

A third vehicle was involved in the fatal car crash, hitting the Wrights’ car from behind. One of the passengers in this third vehicle was in fair condition Sunday, the nursing supervisor added.

Timothy Wright is founder and pastor of Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of God in Christ in Brooklyn. Betty Wright was co-pastor of the Grace Tabernacle.

Yesterday’s service began before noon and lasted some four hours, with hundreds of people attending, reports Newsday. James Gaylord, a bishop of the church movement, described Betty Wright as “a caring person, one of integrity.”

D. J. Wright, the 14-year-old grandson who also lost his life due to injuries sustained in the accident, was mourned Sunday by Timothy Wright’s congregation.

Parishioners also prayed for the recovery of Timothy Wright, 61, with speakers at the services assuring congregants that the pastor was conscious and encouraging them to pray for his health.