Jerry Thomas Bright, Sr.

Jerry Thomas Bright was born in Burlington, NC on December 24, 1941. He was the son of Thelma Mae Modlin Bright and Thomas Womack Bright, Jr. He attended Alamance County schools and graduated from Walter Williams High School in 1960. With hobbies as diverse as his talents, Jerry enjoyed playing the bass violin in the high school orchestra and band, listening to all kinds of music, woodworking, and building and flying remote control planes. He was a master carpenter and loved creating and building furniture, cabinets, and turning wood bowls.

Jerry earned the Eagle Scout award with palms in 1954. After high school, he attended ACC and graduated with a certificate in mechanical drawing and then was accepted into the apprentice school at Langley Air Force base for NASA. He was in the space craft materials section and helped test the heat shield that ultimately was used on the reentry hatch by the astronauts that went to the moon. He left NASA and worked for the IBM corporation for 25 years. For a time between his work at NASA and IBM, Jerry applied the strengths of his analytical, innovative mind to diversified farming. He raised tobacco, converted an old dairy barn into a hog confinement operation, and planted soybeans and wheat. He also volunteered with the police department and taught a math class at Vandalia Christian School for a brief period. An early retirement from IBM led him to work for Wachovia in Winston Salem, NC until 2006.

He accepted the Lord as his Savior at 14 at Glencoe Baptist Church, where he enjoyed building the church kitchen and maintaining the website. Jerry was actively involved in documenting the church’s history and planning for the fellowship building. His heartfelt desire was to help others and support the ministry at Glencoe, including doing construction work with Men for Missions at Friendship Baptist Church. 

In recent years, failing health made many things difficult, but he remained dedicated to his work and family. He loved attending school events to support his children and grandchildren. Together with his wife, Karen, he helped build activity centers that enhanced learning for students in her classroom. His latest venture in the classroom was building a Tree of Knowledge for his daughter-in-law, Sharon. This learning center was a place for reading books, reading benches attached and included wooden knot holes where stuffed animals could have their own reading places. His creative talent and building expertise continued up till his earthly departure when he was developing a program to organize the thousands of pictures he and Karen had taken over the 60 years of married life. He and his family enjoyed vacations at the beach, trips to Iowa and working side by side in whatever the Lord would have them to do. Jerry cherished listening to his wife read scripture to him at night, and they had a tradition of ending their devotions with the Lord’s Prayer or quoting a Bible verse. Throughout life’s ups and downs, they would often recite their “go-to” verse: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose…” Romans 8:28.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Thelma Mae Modlin Bright and Thomas Womack Bright, Jr. of Burlington, NC. 

Jerry is in heaven, awaiting the reunion with his beloved family. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Karen Dugger Bright; his son, Tommy Bright, Jr. and wife Gail, along with grandson, Chris and his wife Jessica, and great-granddaughter, Kayliegh. He also leaves behind his son, Bruce and wife Sharon, along with their three children, Daniel, David, and Andrew; and his daughter Dana. Additionally, he is survived by his brother, Danny Bright of Florida and Randy Bright and his wife Yvonne of Burlington, NC; as well as his brother-in-law, Randy Dugger of Florida, who he considered a brother.

The family will receive friends on Friday, October 25, 2024 from 5 - 7 PM at Lowe Funeral Home.  A celebration of Jerry's life will be held Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 11 AM at Glencoe Baptist Church with Pastor Darrell Massey and Pastor Tommy Bright officiating.  Interment will follow at Pine Hill Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to Glencoe Baptist Church, 2556 Glencoe Street, Burlington, NC  27217 or Samaritan's Purse at www.samaritanspurse.org.