Mary Mellette Bright

COLUMBIA - Mary Mellette Bright, 95, widow of Colonel Charles William Bright, passed away March 20, 2016. Mary was the youngest daughter of the late Marion Mellette and Ethel Thompson Mellette of Wedgefield, Sumter County, SC. Mary always said she had a wonderful childhood growing up in the country with her three sisters and two brothers. Mary attended the Wedgefield Elementary School and finished the seventh grade with an average grade of 98.6. She then went to the Sumter Girl’s High School. After graduating, she went to Montreat Junior College where she excelled academically and excelled in athletics. She was elected President of the Athletic Association. She was a member of the Student Government Board, a member of the Hiking Club and the “M” Club. After finishing Montreat, she transferred to Winthrop College, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree. She was a member of Phi Upsilon Omicron, National Home Economics Fraternity (an honor society for the school of Consumer Sciences and Allied Profession). After graduating from college, she taught in SC schools for three years. She left teaching and worked at Personnel Center, Headquarters at Fort Bragg, NC. Her fiancé, Bill, was stationed at Bragg at the time. She and Bill began their married life at Bragg after Bill returned from Europe at the end of the war. Mary always said she loved military life. She and Bill lived in various places in the states including Washington, DC twice during their life, plus the Orient, Europe, and best of all Alaska where Bill was commander of Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. Mary and Bill always enjoyed playing golf. They found playing golf in Alaska quite a challenge with sand greens only; however, once you learned to putt on sand, it almost always took only one putt to sink the ball. After Bill retired, they played golf almost every day. Wherever they were stationed, Mary enjoyed her flowers. She always left their quarters more beautiful than when she arrived there. Mary had many special hobbies- she studied art, oil painting at Alaska University under Dr. Van Fline, head of the art department and also studied with Claire Febrese, noted artist and author. She entered her paintings in several shows while in Alaska. Many of her paintings hang in her home and the daughters’ homes. Mary enjoyed cooking and entertaining. She especially enjoyed her Garden Club and Bridge Club after retiring from the Army. When at home and alone, she loved playing her organ and working with her flowers. She was often saying, “I’ve had a good life.” Mary is survived by two daughters, Brandon Foster (Robert Foster, attorney) of Lexington and Patti Neeley (Dr. Gary Neeley) of Forest, Virginia; son, Robert Bright of Raleigh, NC; four grandchildren, Michael Bright, Christian Neeley, Danny Neeley and Mary Boyce; three great grandchildren, Michael Jr., Matthew and Abigail Bright; and sister, Leila Seabold of Melbourne, FL. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brothers, Marion Mellette and Robert E. Mellette; sisters, Ethel O’Dell of Laurens and Norine Smoak of Fripp Island. Bill and Mary were members of North Trenholm Baptist Church. The family is very grateful for the loving care given to Mary by her caregivers, Dorothy Sumter and Louise Green during her declining years. They made growing old not so bad by their loving care. A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, March 25, 2016, at Fort Jackson National Cemetery. The family will receive friends Thursday, March 24, 2016 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel.