VALDOSTA — Community leader and former city councilman James Wright passed away Sunday night at the age of 57.

Wright died from complications due to a stroke, his sister, Tammy Wright, said.

A lifelong Valdosta resident, Wright served on the Valdosta city Council for 12 years, from 2004 to 2016. He represented District 1, the east side of Valdosta.

“James had a big heart and worked to represent his district hard,” Mayor John Gayle said Monday. “He was always very smart in discussions and had very good ideas. It’s a shame he is gone so young.”

In past interviews, Wright highlighted some of the work he’d done to improve his district, which included renovating parks, building sidewalks and creating a community center.

“James lived to serve his community to the best of his ability,” Tammy Wright said. “No matter the time of day or night, if he could help, he would. We as a family are honored to have shared him as a notable man of this community.”

John Meriweather, who lives in District 1, described Wright as relatable and down to earth, saying he understood the needs of the area and was always eager to improve the community.

“Councilman Wright was a tireless advocate for his district and very passionate about issues such as housing and community development,” City Manager Larry Hanson said. “He had a heart for serving people, and he never stopped caring about our city and our citizens.

“I am saddened by his passing, and I know all of us here at the city will keep his family in our thoughts and prayers.”

Outside of City Council, Wright was active in several local organizations and clubs, including the Lowndes County chapter of the NAACP, Valdosta Project Change, the Better Neighborhood Housing Corporation, the Georgia Alliance for Tobacco Prevention and the Valdosta Block Club Federation.

“I can’t explain why I do all of this,” Wright told The Valdosta Daily Times in 2005. “I have a strong desire to do it and it gives me a sense of satisfaction, like it is something I am meant to do.

“My parents instilled in me a need to help others. When I was young, I can remember my father would plant a garden filled with okra, corn and other vegetables. He would make me go out and cut okra for the neighbors when they needed it.”

Vivian Miller-Cody, the current City Council representative of District 1, praised Wright as a “loyal and faithful public servant to the community.”

Wright graduated from Valdosta High School in 1977, served for 20 years in the Georgia Army National Guard, and earned multiple degrees from Valdosta Technical Institute (now Wiregrass) in the 1990s, according to past candidate profiles.

Wright left behind a wife and two children.

Wright’s cousin, Tequishia Wright, praised the councilman’s work and life in a Facebook post Monday morning, saying his passion for the community was undeniable.

“You had to see him in action firsthand to understand the strength and determination in fixing the problems in our neighborhoods, in our city,” Tequishia Wright wrote. “Valdosta has lost a true fighter for the people and true friend indeed.”