Janet Marie (Warner) Wright of East Quogue Dies March 11

Janet Marie (Warner) Wright of East Quogue died on March 11. She was 90.

She was known to most as “Mom,” her family said, noting that all she ever wanted to do was raise kids — a passion that so many benefited from over her 90-plus years.

On January 13, 1952, she and Joe Wright were married in East Quogue. Five kids followed in quick succession, and her husband always said she was the best thing that ever happened to him.

The door to their house was never locked and there was always an open chair at the kitchen table, plenty of food and a place to sleep if needed. Lively and humorous discussions over food were the norm. The high school “after graduation night” breakfasts will always be remembered, with cars and kids filling the yard eating scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, muffins and drinking buckets of coffee and orange juice. It was a safe place to land after celebrating too hard.

The kitchen was a safe place for anyone, any education, any color, any country bar none.

An accent was a starting point for discussion not derision, whether it was New Zealand, West African, Spanish, Norwegian or Louisianan. There was always something to learn about a different culture. Wonderful friends, both young and old, like Madeline Brown (another great mom) — we teased they looked like twins, from the back. There are all the other little bits that come to mind: her chocolate chip cookies that were legendary in grade school, the three-legged, 50-pound pet raccoon she hand raised, and the miniature mule they rescued and that they used to walk with the dog.

Food was a big part of her commitment to family, and included basic fare, and plenty of it, along with great desserts — pies, cakes, cookies. Milk was purchased by the case and iced tea made by the gallon.

Most of all, she loved her kids, grandkids, great-grand kids, friends and husband.

She is survived by her five children, Martin Wright (Sheila), Amanda Morris (Douglas), Abigail Mason (Gary), Clayton Wright (Deborah), Kevin Wright.

There will not be a service planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to request donations be made to one’s favorite animal rescue shelter.