BLOOMINGTON - Eldon "Lee" Wright, Bloomington, formerly of Plymouth, completed his final trip in life at 2:10 a.m. June 20, 2009.

A celebration of his life will be at 6 p.m. Friday at Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington. Inurnment will be at Scott Cemetery, Plymouth, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family.

Lee was born Nov. 19, 1942, in Macomb, the son of Hugh M. and Irene Scott Wright of Plymouth. He married Christina "Tina" Burt on Dec. 29, 1987. She survives.

Also surviving are his son, Conley (Danielle) Wright, Granite City; and a daughter, Tiffany Wright, St. Louis, Mo.; seven grandchildren; brother, Lyle E. (Barbara) Wright, El Paso, Texas; and three sisters, Barbara "Jolene" (Paul) Zima, Downers Grove; Rita (Mike) Cordell, Colchester; and Cerese (Tom) Wright, Bushnell.

Lee was preceded in death by his parents; and stepdaughter, Chanty Shiverdecker.

Lee was a graduate of Western Illinois University, with a degree in education and industrial technology. He was a teacher for the Oneida School District and the New Holland-Middletown District in the late 1960s. In 1972, he started a career with the GM&O Railroad in the signal department in Bloomington, and later worked as a brakeman for the CN&W railroad in Pekin.

Lee was also a teacher at Normal Community High School, finally retiring from Illinois State University in 2006. Lee also worked in the heating, cooling and home remodeling businesses at various times in the Bloomington area.

Lee was most known as an avid railroad enthusiast. He was nationally known for his 1/8-scale trains, which he hand built from scratch with pride and displayed throughout the U.S. He made many friends across the country while doing this.

He enjoyed modeling and photographing trains. He also enjoyed travel throughout the U.S. and various cruises he took, as well as country and western music and dancing.