Wayne Kenneth “Ken” Wright Jr., 82, of Overland Park, Kansas, passed away peacefully on September 12, 2026.

Ken was born January 26, 1944, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Wayne Kenneth Wright Sr. and Louise Annette (Olson) Wright. He was raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and attended Washington High School, where he competed on the tennis and wrestling teams. He continued his education at the University of Iowa and later pursued graduate studies at the University of Northern Iowa.

In 1973, Ken began a 36-year career with the U.S. Census Bureau. As a statistician, he had an extraordinary ability to understand numbers and geography and to recognize the connections between people and places. His sharp analytical mind and natural curiosity were defining qualities throughout his life.

Ken’s career and life took him to several communities he came to call home. While living in Kansas City early in his career, he developed a lifelong love of the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs. A Chiefs season ticket holder through some of the team’s difficult years in the early 1980s, he took great pleasure in their more recent success. Ken lived in Gastonia, North Carolina, from 1983 until his retirement in 2009. After retiring, he lived in Mars Hill, North Carolina, and Palm Coast, Florida, before returning to the Kansas City area in 2024.

Tennis was a constant in Ken’s life. From competing in high school and earning a varsity letter at the University of Iowa to playing for the simple love of the game, tennis remained an important part of who he was. He continued playing doubles through age 80.

Sports were never far from Ken’s mind. Saturdays in the fall often found him watching college football and cheering on his beloved Iowa Hawkeyes. Beyond sports, he enjoyed camping, fishing, photography, stamp collecting, history, and travel. He especially looked forward to fall trips to Vermont and Virginia, where he explored the mountains and photographed the brilliant changing leaves. A lifelong dog lover, Ken raised Australian Shepherds for many years and delighted in the attention of his granddogs in his later life.

Ken is survived by his wife of 16 years, Carol; his children, Trent Wright (Anne) of Burlingame, California, Stacey Cole (Josh) of Leawood, Kansas, and Forrest Wright (Allie) of Denver, Colorado; his grandchildren, A.J., Alaina, and Lily; his sister, Beth Wright; and his brother, Lee Wright, both of Cedar Rapids. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wayne Kenneth Wright Sr. and Louise Annette (Olson) Wright; his brother, Larry Anton Wright; and his sister, Lynn Wright Vaughn.

A private interment will take place at Ames Municipal Cemetery in Ames, Iowa, on October 24, 2026. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or the University of Iowa: https://www.foriowa.org/.