Gladys Stone Wright obit

Remembering Gladys Stone Wright

 

She was not on the list.

It is with heavy hearts that the Purdue Bands & Orchestras family shares news that our dear friend and former first lady of PBO, Gladys Stone Wright, passed away peacefully at the age of 100, on the evening of Wednesday, October 29th, 2025. She was a pioneering American band director, composer, author, educator, and champion for women in music education.

Gladys was born on March 8, 1925, in Wasco, Oregon. She grew up in a lumber camp there and discovered her lifelong passion for music at a young age after receiving a year of free piano lessons and a $5 clarinet. She graduated from Lebanon High School in 1943 and later earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Oregon.

Gladys began her teaching career at a time when few women were hired as band directors, but she quickly distinguished herself through talent, perseverance, and leadership. She became the first woman high school director in Oregon as director of bands at Elmira Union High School from 1948-1953 and was one of the earliest female members of the American School Band Directors Association. Wright proceeded to work as a high school band director in Otterbein, Indiana and West Lafayette, Indiana from 1954 through 1984.

Throughout her remarkable career, Gladys founded the Women Band Directors National Association, served in numerous professional organizations, and became the first woman to guest conduct both the United States Navy Band and the Goldman Band. Her school bands consistently earned “superior” ratings for 22 consecutive years. In addition to teaching and conducting, she composed works such as The Big Bowl March and Trumpets and Tabards and contributed to national music publications as an author and clinician.

Her achievements were recognized with many honors, including the National Band Association Citation of Excellence (1969) and the Tau Beta Sigma National Award for Service to Music (1971). In 1999, she became the first woman inducted into the National Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors. The Gladys Stone Wright Scholarship, established in her honor, continues to support women pursuing careers in band directing.

Gladys was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Dr. Al G. Wright, longtime Purdue University band director. Together, they shared a deep love of music and education that shaped the lives of countless students and colleagues.

Gladys Stone Wright will be missed by all who knew her, but her legacy will endure through her music, her family, and the many people she inspired to lead with confidence and creativity in the world of band and music education.