Nonagenarian does what he wants to do

Dick Wright turned 90 years old March 13 and uses the treadmill for 15-20 minutes a day. He's been a HAM operator for more than 50 years, belongs to the Elks and Masons and plays Texas hold 'em at the Carson Valley Inn about three nights a week.

"They tease me that I can't see my cards but that I can see the pretty girls," Wright said. "They don't know how old I am but they know I'm legally blind."

Wright has been losing his central vision to macular degeneration for about 12 years.

"At this point, it's holding its own and I have my peripheral vision," he said. "I have to improvise to overcome my handicaps. I'm not going to let this get me down. I'll do what I want to do.

"They're wonderful people at the CVI. The dealers read the flop for me. There's a lot of regulars - young, medium and old. You trade money - one week you win and next you give it back. It's a social thing."

He's been making birdhouses that he sells at craft fairs for about 8 years since he and his wife of 58 years, Pat Wright, moved to Chichester Estates.

"I landscaped my yard as a young guy of 83. I've always been able to do things with my hands," Wright said. "I have to do something when it's snowing - can't just sit and look at the boob tube all day."

His garage contained 50-60 completed houses ready for sale at last weekend's Douglas High School craft fair. There are birdhouses that look like outhouses, lighthouses and barns. They are made of redwood and cedar and decorated by his daughter Christine with dice, dolls, birds and flowers.

"They're all different. I don't use patterns. For the roofs, I use license plates that I get from wrecking yards," he said. "It's not a business but a hobby. I go to crafts shows when I'm invited. If I don't sell anything, so what? (The booth space fee) goes to a good cause."

Wright will be celebrating his 90th birthday with a party at Genoa Lakes with his family this weekend. The Wrights have six children and 11 grandchildren.

"I'm going to wear a tux and be different," he said. "Everybody in Nevada wears jeans and boots. I'll be the best-dressed guy in Nevada that day.

"Our family can't want to come to see us," Wright said. "They keep in contact and they all get along. I know so many people who don't get along with their families and don't visit for years.

"They say you choose your friends but you're stuck with family but we're very fortunate. We're supportive of each other which is rare in today's world."

Wright said if he knew he was going to be 90, one of the things he would have thought about was saving more money. Besides visiting with family, he said he enjoys the company of two fellow Marines who live in his neighborhood.

"There's also two peers from my era in the Bay area that I keep in touch with but so many others my age have dementia or some other damn thing," he said. "But I'm lucky because I'm healthy."