Richard A. Bright

1929 - 2015

BRIGHT Richard A. Bright Dick of Ponte Vedra Beach passed away January 9, 2015 at the age of 85. He was born June 4, 1929 to A.L. and Bertha Bright, of Fredonia, Pennsylvania. He leaves behind his loving wife of 62 years, Patricia; three grown children; six grandchildren; and two sisters. Richard attended the Univ. of Pittsburgh from 1947-51, majoring in Economics. He entered the Air Force in 1951 as a newly-wed during the Korean War, flying in an Interceptor Squadron out of Hamilton A.F.B. in Marin County, across from San Francisco. Upon discharge from military service, Dick began his IT career as a salesman of computer products in the Oakland CA area for the Friden Business Machines Company of San Leandro, CA. As their top salesman at 250% over quota for several years, he was promoted to Branch Manager and transferred to San Antonia, TX, and then Jacksonville, FL. Then Singer Sewing Machine Co. of NYC acquired Friden, and the company name changed to Singer s Business Machines Division. Dick s international career began when he went to South Africa in 1964 to run the Africa-Middle East out of Johannesburg. Three years later, he and his family moved to Beirut, Lebanon, but a few months later, their Six-Day war of 1967 began, and they fled in the middle of the night to Greece. They lived there briefly until Singer headquarters made a decision to return him to the U.S. Richard returned to the N.Y.C. area, living in Stamford, Conn., and he reported directly to the President of Singer. A few years later, he was sent to Sydney, Australia, where he became Vice President of the Asia-Pacific region. They lived in Sydney for seven years and Hong Kong for two years. In 1978, Singer sold the Business Machines Division to ICL (a British computer company), and Richard and family moved to New Jersey as ICL s President of the United States and Canada. In 1981, he joined the Data General Corp. in Massachusetts as General Manager of Central and South America, and lived in the Boston suburbs for thirteen years. Richard and his wife both retired from their IT careers in 1994, and moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Richard became a member of Sawgrass CC, The Lodge and Club, and American Legion Post 233 in Palm Valley. Richard is survived by his wife , Patricia; daughter, Tracy Riskin of LA and her children, Fiona, Elias and Emma; sons, Randall (Cindy) of Layton, Utah and their children, Garrett and Kaleigh and Bradley (Marna) of Laguna Beach, CA and their child Ryder; and sisters, Betty Lou Reash and Margaret Ellis, both of Western PA. Funeral arrangements are private. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Legion Post 233 or Wounded Warriors would be appreciated. Please visit our online Tribute at www.quinn-shalz.com. Services under the direction and care of Please Sign the Guestbook @ Jacksonville.com