Daniel William Wright

         Daniel “Danny” William Wright of Florence, SC died on February 12, 2026, at the age of 82.

         Danny is survived by his wife, Sandra Gail Wright, and five children:  Angela Wright Meadows (Wade), Jacqueline Katrina Wright, Shawn O’Dell Hilley (Amber), Corby Davis Hilley (Amanda), and Janson Kyle Hilley.  He is also survived by eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild.  Also surviving are two siblings: Jean Wiggins (Edenton, NC) and Dot Gregory (Hertford, NC).

         He is preceded in death by his parents, Mattie Holland Wright Cayton and William James Wright, his daughter, Kimberly Anne Wright, and six siblings:  Margie Wright, Marie Griffin, Josephine Nixon, Preston Wright, Bobby Wright, and Andy Wright.

         Danny was born on July 29, 1943, in Edenton, NC.  Known by his friends as “Danny Boy,” he attended Chowan High School before enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1961.  In 1964, he married Shirley Anne Wilson, and the couple had two children, Kimberly “Kimmy” Anne Wright and Angela “Angie” Marie Wright.  While stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, VA, Danny was deployed to South Vietnam as a cryptologist.  After his tour of duty, he was discharged in 1969 as an Airman First Class.

         Later that same year, Danny attended the Retail School of Business and Management for Leggett/Belk Department Stores of the Carolinas and Virginia. In 1972, after several years in the retail field, Danny moved to Columbia, SC, and became a general manager of Piedmont Fabrics, overseeing 19 stores across the Carolinas.

         In 1973, Danny moved to Florence, SC, and married Paula Allison Orr.  In 1976, Danny then launched his career in the food and beverage business, opening a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) franchise in Sumter, SC. In 1978, Danny and Paula welcomed the birth of their daughter, Jacqueline “Jackie” Katrina Wright. Over the next 16 years, his business expanded to a total of nine KFC stores as well as a seafood restaurant in Murrells Inlet, SC.

         In 1993, Danny shifted career paths, becoming a commercial real estate agent. At Coldwell-Banker Commercial Seaboard Properties, he conducted numerous sales and leasing transactions across a broad spectrum of commercial property types.

         In 1999, Danny met the love of his life, Sandra Gail Hilley.  Excited to start their new lives together, the two were married on October 30, 2004, and Danny became step-father to three young men (Shawn O’Dell Hilley, Corby Davis Hilley, and Janson Kyle Hilley).

         While living in Florence, Danny served on several boards, including Central United Methodist Church and Florence West Rotary, of which he is a Paul Harris Fellow.

         He loved traveling the world. He visited Paris, Italy, Amsterdam, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, Prague, South Africa, Hungary, and many cities across the United States, with Key West being the most idyllic.  He spent any free time that he had reading books in his study, with Ernest Hemingway being his favorite author, pondering life, debating anything that could be debated, and helping his wife, Gail, keep their garden immaculate - their oasis. He was a remarkable man who loved deeply and was deeply loved.

         A celebration of Danny’s life is scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, 2026, with a visitation from 5:00 - 6:30 pm and a memorial service from 6:30 - 7:00 pm in the Chapel of Waters-Powell Funeral Home. The family will be accepting flowers or donations may be made to The Florence County Public Library or Wounded Warrior Project.

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