23 Sep Death of Alan Wright, UB Missionary in Sierra Leone

Alan Wright, a former UB missionary in Sierra Leone, passed away on September 18. He was a former physics teacher at Centennial Secondary School in Mattru during the 1960s.

Alan Wright was born in London, England, and graduated from Exeter University. He felt called to serve as a teacher in Sierra Leone. He taught for one year at a boys’ high school in Freetown, and in 1964 joined the staff at Centennial.

At Centennial, he met Marilyn Saufley, a nurse at Mattru. She was the daughter of Charles and Ruth Saufley, who had served as UB missionaries in Sierra Leone 1928-1932. She wrote, “Having been reared by faithful Christian parents, I cannot recall the time when I did not believe in the Lord. I considered mission work a way to come closer to the Lord. Perhaps this fact and an early impression that I should serve as a nurse in the country where my parents served, led me to my present position.”

Alan and Marilyn were married in July 1963, with Rev. Jerry Datema officiating. The Wrights became members of Salem UB church near Chambersburg, Pa. At the time of Alan’s death, he and Marilyn were living in Abbotsford, British Columbia.