RELIANCE, Md. - Francis Elder Wright, of Reliance, passed away suddenly at his family farm on Monday, Aug. 15, 2011. He was 85. He was born Nov. 5, 1925, to the late Victor and Myra Handy Wright, as the sixth generation on the family land grant dating from the 1730s. It was acknowledged by the USDA as a Bicentennial Farm in the 1980s. Mr. Wright graduated from Federalsburg High School Class of 1943, and met frequently with his surviving classmates. He was a lifetime farmer, working in fields and woods, dedicating his days in the family sawmill and the fields raising cattle, growing grain and vegetables. He was a member of fifty-seven years of the Reliance Grange #58, a past member of Gethsemane Church, was a past member of the Caroline County Farm Bureau, a charter member of Seaford Elks Lodge 2458, and a member of the American Tree Farm System. He was an avid reader, hunter and collected insect and climate data for University of Maryland research. He and his wife enjoyed traveling. He is survived by his wife of forty-one years, Barbara Fuchs Wright; three children, MaryLu Williamson of Federalsburg, Edward Francis Wright and his wife Beverly, and Jane Wright all of Reliance; nine grandchildren, Patrick DeGroat (Toni) of Seaford, Timothy DeGroat of Reliance, Chelsea Ortega (Matt) of Hurlock, Jade English of Eldorado, Lori Griffith (Leonard) of Ridgely, Darlene Williamson of Federalsburg, Russell Williamson of Federalsburg, Sarah Wright and Jacob Wright both of Reliance; 8 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Elizabeth Dorman of Seaford, Amelia "Mimi" Wright of Town Point; niece, Nancy Dorman of Seaford; cousin and best friend, Ann Wyatt and her family of Federalsburg. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his eldest, child Sallie Wright English; and a granddaughter, Amy Rebekah DeGroat. Funeral services will be held on Friday, Aug. 19, 2011, at 11 a.m. at the Framptom Funeral Home with Rev. Thomas Becker and Rev. Edwin Thress officiating. Interment will follow in Junior Order Cemetery in Preston. Friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. and on Friday one hour prior to the service. Memorial contributions may be made to American Diabetes Assoc., 114 Baptist St., Salisbury, MD 21801; or American Heart Assoc., c/o Christy Coale, 216 N. Main St., Federalsburg, MD 21632; or to Immanuel Lutheran Church, PO Box 39, Preston, MD 21655. To share memories please visit www.framtpom.com.