McDuffee, Lois Wright - age 94 - of Powell, TN, died January 23, 2017. Born in Elba, AL, to Albert and Esther Harper, she grew up in St. Petersburg, FL. She was a graduate of the Athens Business School in Athens, GA. She met and married Homer F. Wright in Athens in 1943 while he was stationed there with the U.S. Navy during WWII. They made their first home in St. Petersburg, FL, but moved to Oak Ridge in 1954. Lois worked as a school secretary at Oak Ridge High School and subsequently at Cedar Hill Elementary school from 1960 - 1970.

After the death of Homer Wright, her husband of 57 years, she subsequently married Thomas W. McDuffee of Oak Ridge, who gave her 14 months of happiness before he passed away in 2003. Lois was a member of First Baptist Church of Powell. She enjoyed visiting shut-ins and helping those in need. As a result of her generosity, she has a building at the Orbit School in Kenya, Africa, named in her honor.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Janet Wright and Ray Latimer, both retired Air Force lieutenant colonels, of Asheville NC; Tom''s daughter, Mary Ruth Horn, nee McDuffee, of Palm Coast, FL; several nieces and nephews, and her dear friend and previous caretaker, Barbara Ryan of Knoxville.

A Celebration of Lois''s Life will be held at Woodhaven Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 160 Edgemoor Rd., Powell, TN. at 2 p.m. on February 4th with a period of visitation from 1:30 p.m. until 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to either the Crown College of the Bible student scholarship fund in Powell, PH: 865-938-8186, or by mail to Habitat for Humanity International at 121 Habitat St., Americus, GA 31709--3498. Woodhaven Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens are honored to serve the Wright McDuffee family.