Daniel James "D.J." Wright is a graduate of Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, where he majored in psychology and double minored in philosophy and French. In 2002, he graduated Summa Cum Laude from the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service in New York City, receiving the Faculty Award for exceptional proficiency in all academic and clinical areas of the curriculum as well as scholarships from both the Bergen County Funeral Directors Association as well as the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association. He has furthered his education with countless advanced continuing education credits on many topics ranging from sociology to biology, and participated in many seminars furthering the advancement of the ministry of funeral service and community engagement.
He received his funeral director's license in September 2002 and has been serving his neighbors ever since. He is known as a man of honesty and integrity who genuinely cares for those he serves. D.J. views his role of funeral director as more of a ministry than a profession, and his vision for the funeral home is, "Traditional Values, Modern Concepts, Golden Rule Service” for all peoples.
D.J. is a member of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, where he proudly served as President during 2018-19. He formerly served as President-Elect, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President and additionally served two terms as a delegate-at-large, representing funeral directors across the entire state and representing New Jersey at the national level to the National Funeral Directors Association. He is also a two-term past president of the Tri-County Funeral Directors Association, comprising Hunterdon, Warren, and Sussex Counties. Being a steward of the profession he loves so dearly is close to his heart. He believes that everyone should have some type of Life Celebration and realizes this takes many different forms. D.J. feels his role is that of a "guide" to all those during some of life's most trying moments.
An actively engaged resident of his local community, D.J., in addition to serving on several charitable foundations, is a:
One part of D.J.’s civic activity that is close to his heart is the opportunity he was presented in 2014 to serve on the board of directors of Volunteer Guardianship One-on-One, Inc., which provides high-quality personal one to one guardianship services for people without family or friends to help them. He then became the chair of the Public Relations committee, and in 2015, he was elected to serve as the Vice President of the board. In 2016, he was honored to be elected as the organization’s President and continued in that role for the next four years. He is passionate about spreading the word about one of Hunterdon County's best-kept secrets and desires to see that no one is ever truly alone in life.
Th recipient of several awards over the years, D.J. is proud to stay humble, always reminding everyone that he can not do anything alone, and that his family and Care Team are the reasons why he can help in the areas that he does. He was awarded the 'Entrepreneur of the Year' in 2023 by the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce; was awarded the 'Spirit of Hunterdon Award' by the Hunterdon Healthcare Foundation in 2021; was given the 'Community Award' by Hunterdon Helpline in 2016 for "Giving back, paving the way, and making a difference in Flemington and Hunterdon County"; was honored as the Gala recipient of Volunteer Guardianship in 2019; has received several citations from the State of New Jersey Senate and General Assembly and the United States House of Representatives, as well as several other awards and recognitions from local police departments to many other civic organizations.
D.J. was proud to have one of the first support dog programs in New Jersey at a funeral home. His best friend and chocolate Labrador Retriever, Tammy, was the one who encouraged him to begin this program and she was proud to assist her Dad daily at the funeral home, providing love and compassion to all who entered. Though she died in 2020 at the age of 15 3/4, her presence still infuses everything that is done at the funeral home, because everything she did was grounded in love. Please click HERE to read more about Tammy as well as view her life celebration service. Tammy's younger sisters, Nalani, a Portuguese Water Dog, and Serene, an Australian Labradoodle, have taken up the torch and continue Tammy's legacy of selfless service. The girls reside in Raritan Township with their Dad who had formerly lived in Flemington Borough. They enjoy accompanying their father to the funeral home and serve as support dogs for all those entrusted into the care of Wright & Ford. In their rare down time, they enjoy hiking the beautiful trails throughout Hunterdon County.
