Maxine Thomas-Wright

Maxine E. Thomas-Wright, of Bainbridge Island, died on Aug. 21. She was 91.

She was born on July 14, 1918 to Jesse and Leonard Williams and was raised by her grandparents, Agnes and Joseph Dwyer, in Seattle. She graduated from Queen Anne High School in 1936 and later attended the University of Washington, where she studied voice and starred in productions ofthe Lyric Theatre.

She was a major singer in the Puget Sound area for over 40 years. In the early 1950s she starred in Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” and Mozart’s “Cosifan Tutte” with the Seattle Civic Opera Company. She performed for many other groups over the years, including the USO during World War II, and was a member of Ladies Musical Club.

She was the lead in the first Bainbridge Light Opera Company’s production of “The Merry Widow” and was the vocal director of the summer stock theatre, the Potlatch Playhouse. At Potlatch she appeared as the mother in “Amahl and the Night Visitors” and also in “The Boy Friend.” She was a frequent soloist at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church on Bainbridge and often did solo work with Bainbridge Chorale.

While wintering in Palm Springs, Calif., for many years, she was the primary soloist for Palm Desert Community Church. She gave freely of her talents and had many singing students in her career.

She is survived by her son, Richard J. D. Thomas of Bremerton; daughter Jennefer V. Evans of Madras, Ore., and adopted son, Billy John Bagley, of Bremerton.

Remembrances may be given to the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council, www.artshum.org.