An icon, a legend, and a successful business woman slipped peacefully into the hands of the Lord Almighty on June 8, 2018. She was born on November 25, 1925 and a native Gosport, Alabama.

She was preceded in death by her only loving son, Mr Eddie Ree Laffitte; her parents Mack and Alberta Wright; three brothers: Mack Wright and John Lee Wright of Bronx, New York and Frank Wright of Mobile, Alabama; and three sisters: Minnie Dubose and Ethel Mae wright of Mobile, Alabama and Bertha Anderson of Pleasantville, New Jersey.

She accepted Christ at an early age and united with the Mackey Branch Church in Gosport, Alabama. Upon moving to Mobile, she joined Stone Street Baptist Church, where she faithfully served for many years.She leaves a legacy of love, commitment, responsibility, forgiveness, and peace. We will truly miss her.

Eliza was a successful business woman in the area of socialization and entertainment. The businesses included but not limited to a beauty salon, Wright's Beauty Salon, and a lounge, Soul House Lounge for well over forty-five years. Since the businesses were in two different locations, she merged them together on the corner of St. Charles Avenue and St Stephens Road, where the business is still successful. She also had rental properties. Some of her other accomplishments included quartet singing in the Humble Gospel Singers Quartet. She was also a member of Easter Star Order of Callonthea#125.

She leaves to cherish her great life:a loving, dedicated daughter, Marsha (Elmo) Kiel and Minister Dianne (Bobby) Williams; eleven grandchildren,Demetrius (Barbara) Laffitte of Italy, Barnabus (Debbie) Laffitte of Washington State, Thaddeus and Damien Laffitte of California, Shana (Willie) Laffitte Dates, Kanosha and Adam Stanford, Cizario, Antonio, and Kennardo Finklea, and Mardrell Irby, of Mobile, Alabama; twenty-one great-grandchildren, one devoted, Jarret Stanford; a host of nephews, one devoted, Raymond Wright; many nieces, one devoted, Cherokee (Barry) McKenzie; a lifelong friend and sister, Eva Mae Evans; other friends included Lucy Black(Diddy), Ernestine Blanks, Willie Jenkins, and the late Annie Pearl Finklea; two God daughters, Karen Henderson and Aretha Beckham; two special loves in her extended family, Marquitta Evans and Deborah (Joseph) Ratcliff; and a host of people she loved and knew.

Her remains will lie in state from 1pm until 8pm on Friday, June 22, 2018 at Small’s Mortuary, Mobile.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2018 from 9am until the 11am funeral hour at Stone Street Baptist Church, 311 Tunstall Street, Mobile, Alabama.

Interment will follow in Gethsemane Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama.

DIGNIFIED AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ENTRUSTED TO SMALL'S MORTUARY, 950 SOUTH BROAD STREET, MOBILE, ALABAMA, 36603.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Eliza Wright Stanford, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.