Sally Sluhan Wright, a novelist who wrote mysteries and was a finalist for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award, died Friday at her home in Bowling Green. She was 71.

She died of complications from pancreatic cancer, her daughter Jessye Wright said. She battled the disease for just shy of seven years, even though doctors initially gave her six months to live.

Mrs. Wright was born Jan. 31, 1947, in Hartford, Conn., to Marian and Clyde Sluhan. In 1951, the family moved to Perrysburg, and her parents founded Master Chemical Corp. (now called Master Fluid Solutions).

Mrs. Wright was heavily involved in the family company all her life. “As a child, she helped my grandfather in his home laboratory” by labeling and cleaning equipment, her daughter said.

In adulthood, she was an active board member, served on both the governance committee and the family council, and assisted in other projects. “One of the projects she led was developing a code of ethics for the business that’s intended to apply throughout the world,” said Jim Rosa, governance committee chair for the company.

He added that she was “the moral compass for the family and the business.”

Many of Mrs. Wright’s family members, including her husband, Joe, also worked for the company.

The two met in homeroom class at Perrysburg High School when they were both 16, her daughter said.

Mrs. Wright graduated from Northwestern University in 1969 with a degree in oral interpretation of English literature.

In adulthood, Mrs. Wright became a writer as well as a reader. She wrote two series of mysteries — the Ben Reese and Jo Grant series. Her first book and the first installment in the Ben Reese series, Publish & Perish, came out in 1997.

She was a finalist for the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 2001 for Pursuit & Persuasion, the third Ben Reese book.

Mrs. Wright’s husband Joe said her ninth and final book is scheduled to come out in July.

“What drew her to mysteries was the battle between good and evil,” her daughter said. “Wanting good to triumph was huge for her.”

When the children were growing up, the family went to several different churches, but Mrs. Wright eventually settled on Nova Christian Fellowship in Toledo.

“The last seven years she was in so much pain and her faith got her through,” her daughter said. She added that Mrs. Wright would read seven devotionals every morning.

Her faith was important to her relationships as well. Mr. Rosa said she used to pray for his family during difficult times.

“Sally was always interested in me and my family. She was so kind and caring and concerned and that’s something I will never ever forget.”

Surviving are her husband Joe Wright, whom she married Aug. 8, 1970; son, Aaron Wright; daughter, Jessye Wright; brother, William Sluhan; and four grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Witzler Shank Funeral Home in Perrysburg. The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Witzler Shank.

The family suggests tributes to Mission International of America or the Pregnancy Center of Toledo.

Contact Eve Sneider at esneider@theblade.com or 419-724-6171.

First Published June 18, 2018, 4:00 a.m.