neva 'grandma' burright
The Midwest's famous "grandma", whose career spanned 57 years in the sulky, Neva Burright was a familiar figure for many seasons at Illinois fair tracks. She became nationally known when she successfully competed in night racing at pari-mutuel tracks from 1946 until she retired from driving in 1954. After that she remained active as a timer and official at tracks in the Chicago area. Born in 1883 in Mount Carroll, Illinois, Burright was the mother of seven children. Two of her sons died in racing accidents. Her husband A. L., known as Forrest Burright in harness racing circles, was a well-known trainer and driver. He died on February 12, 1958, two days after "grandma's" passing at an Oregon, Illinois nursing home.
Published in the Harness Racing Museum's 1994 book, The Immortals