Deanna Yvonne (Vandiver) Wright

Deanna Yvonne (Vandiver) Wright, beloved Mother, Grandma and Nana, was born October 13, 1939 in Bakersfield, California to Omer and Audrey (Culp) Vandiver. The family moved to Seaside/Monterey in 1942 where Omer drove a truck for a food canning company on Cannery Row. She remembered her childhood there with great fondness, as well as trips to Yosemite National Park. In 1948 they moved to the “Bootheel” of Missouri (SE Corner). Her childhood was family, school, picking cotton, and animals. Deanna loved reading and performing her annual role as the Narrator/Angel for the Christmas play. The cousins would get together every year for the Culp Reunion in Kennett. During her teenage years, she enjoyed sewing, quilting, crocheting and playing violin.

Deanna attended Gideon High School and was the runner-up for Miss Gideon in 1957. After Graduation in May of 1957, she and Robert L. (Bob) Drummond married and moved to Flint, Michigan where he was working for GM. In 1959 they moved to St. Louis and Robert (Bobby) Alan was born on April 12, 1960. In 1963, they moved to Dallas where Bob began a career with the City and Deanna worked for an Insurance Company. They would attend Southern Gospel Conventions and Concerts at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. Glenn Wright also attended and sang in a quartet. Deanna began following the local sports teams and became a Dallas Cowboys fan for life.

In 1967 Deanna and Bob divorced. Glenn and Deanna married later that year. They and Bobby settled in the Casa View area of Dallas. Deanna got an entry level job at the Oilwell Division of US Steel. She moved to the accounting and payroll department. Bethany (Beth) Ann was born October 5, 1971 in Garland. Omer’s wandering spirit had rubbed off on Deanna. She was delighted to travel around with Glenn selling jewelry they made. She beaded beautiful Native American style necklaces and they had a table at the State Fair for many years. They also enjoyed rooting for the local sports teams. The family moved to Garland in 1983 and Deanna and Beth became very involved in Children’s theater. Rob married Pat in 1985 and Danielle was born. When Omer became ill and passed away in 1987, Deanna and Rob went to California to attend the funeral. Afterwards she wanted to drive the coastal highway and visit Monterey before they returned home. Sandra joined the family in 1990.

In 1992, Deanna took early retirement after more than 20 years with National Oilwell. She decided to have an in-home childcare business. When not caring for children, she enjoyed attending dress rehearsals at the Dallas Opera where Beth worked. After Audrey died in 1999, Deanna stopped caring for children, except for James, who had been born a few months earlier. She took a part-time retail job with Mervyns for a couple of years until retirement. She moved to Mesquite with Beth in 2004. She spent her time working on the family genealogy and traveling to gravesites and cities from the families’ past. She also enjoyed visiting wineries. In 2005 she began regularly attending Culp family reunions where she reconnected with many of her cousins and their families. Deanna visited Oahu, Hawaii in 2007 while Beth was working there. They also took a bus tour of Scotland, Ireland and Wales in 2008.

Bethany married Jacob in 2012 and Deanna moved to McKinney to be close to them. Granddaughter Danielle and Aaron married in February 2013. Glenn went home on January 7, 2014. They had been separated since 2001. Cabriole Hope was born in June 2014 and Nana was delighted to help with another grandbaby. 2016 was the final trip to California where Deanna and the Morales family visited Monterey, Yosemite, Bakersfield and every place on Deanna’s bucket list. Kalliope Faith and Penelope Grace were born in May of 2017. Although Deanna was battling health issues, she still loved to spend time with her precious grandbabies, and they delighted in knowing their beloved Nana was nearby.

Deanna is survived by her loving children Robert Drummond and his wife Patricia, Bethany Ann Morales and her husband Jacob, Jr.; grandchildren Danielle Siverling and her husband Aaron, Sandra Drummond, James Drummond, Cabriole' Hope Morales, Kalliope Faith Morales and Penelope Grace Morales; brother David Vandiver and his wife Shirley and Patricia Drew.  She was preceded in death by husband Glenn Wright and brother in law Floyd Drew II.

The family will receive friends from 11:00-12:00 P.M. for a visitation which will be followed by a funeral service to celebrate Deanna's life at 12:00, officiated by Pastor Randy Moore.