Roberta “Robbie” Wright passed away peacefully at her home on Bainbridge Island on May 14, 2016 after a heroic 18-month battle with terminal brain cancer.
With her entire family and friends by her side, she vowed to live every single day to the fullest with a smile on her face and adventure in her heart.
She was the sweetest, kindest person you could ever meet. Heaven indeed just gained the most worthy of angels.
Born on Galveston Island on Feb. 27, 1961 to Albert Louie Niccolai, Jr. and Doris Lee Niccolai, she was the youngest of five children.
Robbie graduated from O’Connell Catholic High School in Galveston in 1979 and from Southwest Texas State University in 1982 with a degree in fashion merchandising.
Robbie and her husband, John, met in 1983 and were married in 1987 in Galveston.
While fashion (and shopping) remained her passion, Robbie’s career began in healthcare recovery as an advocate for patients. She worked for various companies in Houston including Campco and Med Services before becoming a part-owner at Benefit Recovery (BRSI.) Her uncanny ability to truly connect with people resulted in a huge client base and many friends in the Northwest.
She moved her family to the Seattle area in 1998 and had since called Bainbridge Island home. She was an avid supporter of AAHAM, the American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management, frequently volunteering her time and organizing the most amazing events.
Eventually, Robbie’s passion for sales and marketing led her to embark on new pursuits. Most recently, she was the director of sales and marketing for Pleasant Beach Village and a buyer for The Barn Cat on Bainbridge Island. Prior to that, she enjoyed doing group sales at the Inn at Port Ludlow, sales and marketing for Seattle’s “Chat with Women” radio talk show and was an event organizer for ChickChat.
Robbie was a woman with many special gifts, hobbies and passions. She had the gift of making friends everywhere she went and had the ability to make all feel special, welcomed and included.
Her many hobbies included attending music concerts, craft and vintage shows, going on road trips, gambling on the slot machines at local casinos and her favorites in Las Vegas. She loved to travel anywhere, but particularly cherished her many trips to Disneyland with her girls. She was an avid shopper – always able to locate the best deals. She also loved to cook and bake (particularly sweets.) She was passionate about life, her family and friends, her family traditions and work. She truly lived life to the fullest.
Robbie is survived by her husband, John Wright; her two beautiful daughters, Taylor and Leigh Wright; siblings Rose Niccolai Carter and William R. Carter (deceased) of Galveston; Cindy Niccolai Kryk of Houston; Albert Louie Niccolai, III and Mary Katherine of Palacios, Texas; Doris Ann Niccolai and Daniel Villarreal of Texas City, Texas; mother-in-law, Barbara Wright of Conroe, Texas; sisters-in-law Sharon (Art) Hill of Cypress, Texas; Carol (Joel) Gray of Georgetown, Texas; Nancy (Scott) Torell of Conroe, Texas; and many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and friends too numerous to count.
We will be honoring and celebrating Robbie’s life on both of the islands she called “home.”
A service was held Sunday, June 5 at the Manor House at Pleasant Beach Village.
Another service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 18 at Jinkins Hall, 1115 36th St. (adjacent to Grace Episcopal Church) in Galveston, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment at the Swedish Medical Center at https://community.swedish.org/donate/ivy-center.
Messages for the family can be placed in the online guest book at www.cookfamilyfuneralhome.com.
