Hugh Morgan Bright, Jr., 93, passed away February 25, 2016. He was born November 7, 1922 in El Reno, OK to Hugh and Frances (Kenney) Bright. He married Dolores Imogene James on March 2, 1942, and they were married 53 years before she passed away on September 1, 1995. Hugh graduated from 8th grade in a one-room schoolhouse in 1937. He attended Calumet High School in Calumet, OK. He moved to El Reno to live with a relative so he could attend El Reno High School. There, he finished his junior and senior year. The reason for the move was so he could play football. He graduated from high school in 1941. He joined the Army Air Corp in May, 1944 and was honorably discharged in June, 1946. After the Army, he attended Peniel Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University). He graduated from college in 1949. In 1950, he moved his family to Kansas City, MO to attend the Nazarene Theological Seminary from 1950-1952. His first church as a pastor was in Osawatomie, KS. The congregation met in the basement of the telephone building. He was the minister from 1952-1956. While in Osawatomie, he built, along with members of his congregation, a church for his members. In 1954, he returned with his family to continue his studies at the Nazarene Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1956 and took pastoral duties at his second church in Trenton, MO. He built an addition onto the church and that served as the parsonage. He was there from May, 1956 to June, 1960. His third church was in Independence, MO. He served there from June 1960 to July, 1965. While in Independence, he built the sanctuary with the help of members of his congregation. He completed a building project at every church he pastored. After he left the ministry, he was active in selling insurance and real estate. In 1967, he moved his family to Bethany. To move back to Bethany was like moving back home. Hugh had many activities he enjoyed which included golf, landscaping his entire backyard with flowers and a garden area. He gardened until he was 90 years old. In 2005, he started going to the thrift stores on Sunday afternoon because this was when clothes were marked down in price. He would purchase mens clothes, bring them home and wash them, and then sometime during the week he would donate them to the Penn Avenue Church of the Nazarene to be given to the homeless men. Since 2005, he has donated thousands of clothes to the homeless. He was still collecting and donating clothes before he passed away. This was one way he could help those in need, plus it kept him busy. He was an active member of the retired mens coffee group that meets at the Family Life Center and at Jims Restaurant. This fellowship with the men meant a lot to him. He loved these men. Another activity he thoroughly enjoyed was attending the SNU College basketball games. For many years, he very seldom missed an SNU Crimson Storm basketball game. He was an active member of the Storm Chasers Club. His last game attended was in February. He served in the church as a Senior Adult Sunday School teacher back in the 60s and 70s, approximately 8 years. Another project he thoroughly enjoyed was creating a book called, "Truth in a Nutshell God Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow." He visited many church congregations speaking about his book and passing his book out to everyone in the service. His dream was to have this book published for the purpose of studying the Bible. There are several books available if anyone would want one. Dad always was ready to give anyone who was a friend and interested a tour of his birthplace and where he grew up in El Reno. Then, at the end of the tour, they might end up at his favorite restaurant, the Cherokee on I-40. Hugh was preceded in death by his wife, Dolores; son, Shural James Bright, brothers, Howard and Lloyd; and sister, Ethel Bright. Survivors include his daughter, Helaine (Bright) Smiley and husband David of Springfield, MO; sons, Merrill and Mark; granddaughter, Kristie Smiley, Los Angeles, CA; sister, Dorothy Nord and husband Robert, Shawnee, KS; nieces, Janette Larson, Roberta Ogburn and husband Don, Debbie Shelby and husband Dan; nephew, Evan Bright and wife Tamara; and a few relatives in El Reno, OK. Funeral Service Monday, February 29, 2016 02:00 PM Bethany First Church of the Nazarene 6789 N.W. 39th Expressway Bethany, OK 73008