Elmer Arthur Bright

July 13, 1920 – May 7, 2013

Elmer Arthur Bright was born in Midian, Kansas on July 13, 1920. He came from humble beginnings and accomplished incredible things with his life. You can say he absolutely reached the true potential he had inside of him. He lived the “American Dream”, traveled the world and impacted the lives of many as he came into contact with them. He was truly a person who stopped and took time to invest into people and help them reach their potential, just as he had reached his. He believed in a strong positive mental attitude and showing kindness towards others.

Elmer came from a family of 13 children, only 8 survived to grow up with him who were Ross Nowita, Metta, and Fredonia Mulcare; Elmer, and Ted Bright; and Leonard Simmons. His family worked twenty acres on an Oklahoma homestead which provided them work and food. Each child had a job and the family together had a specialized maintenance job. Elmer’s job was hand sewing shirts for the boys and patching/mending holes in their “britches”. Even at an early age he felt a tremendous love and sense of responsibility for his family. He left home at the age of 13 to serve in Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps. He earned $25 a month, sending $20 home to his family every month.

He graduated from Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, Colorado. Elmer received 2 Civilian Conservation Corps. awards and educational certificates for English and Natural Geography and Agriculture. He also received a Civilian Conservation Corps. Certification for photography. One thing Elmer was known for was his strong physique and athleticism which was evidenced as a Varsity Basketball player.

In 1976, he attended the Community College of Denver where he earned an Associates degree in automotive mechanics. He had a commitment to grow and learn and continued with correspondence and formal college education throughout his life.

Elmer’s first marriage was April 2, 1944 to 1994 (50 years) to Leah June Hopper Bright. Their two children were Dennis Irving Bright and daughter Cheryl Lynn Bright Rowley. He was a loving father who passed on his sense of responsibility to family. He instilled in his children moral character, work ethic, love and determination. He was always very devoted and committed to the needs and best interest of his family.

He was very proud of their accomplishments in medicine and health care with his son, Dennis's VA career as a Radiology Technician and daughter, Cheryl becoming a physician specializing in Anesthesiology and Pain Management.

Because of Elmer's love and commitment for his son he stayed in constant attendance for the full year of hospitalization of Dennis's polio and the following meticulous recuperation regime of years surgeries, strengthening and conditioning exercises.

Elmer loved to travel and did so frequently. During his first marriage they traveled to the Netherlands, Panama, Northern Europe including Italy, Spain, Germany, and France. They went throughout the Mediterranean in Greece, and Morocco. They also traveled in the Asia Continent in China and Japan. The trip to China was exciting and shared with Mary and Dennis Bolieg, and his daughter, Cheri and her husband, Dwayne. They traveled extensively throughout the United States, all 50 states including a trip from Colorado to Alaska in their motor home at the age of 86.

Elmer began his military service in 1943 when he joined the Army Air Corps. He was transferred to Germany for a total of nine years. There he attended Wing Troop School in 1954. He finished there by training the German Air Force personnel so they could take over the operation of Erding Air Base. He was then stationed in Nevada for two years, then transferred to Los Angeles where he later retired with the rank of Master Sergeant in 1960. He accomplished a commitment of 30 years of dedication, hard work and service.

In 1962 he became a Civil Service employee at Edwards Air Force Base in the Freight Shipment Section. His job was shipping and receiving of experimental rocket fuels and rocket engines. He then accepted the job of Traffic Manager at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota in 1967 where he remained until 1970. He was elected President of the Minot High Grade Civilian Club. In 1970 he was promoted to GS-12 and became Traffic Management Officer at Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado. He supervised over 15 personnel and over 30 civilians. Elmer received a Sustained Superior Performance Award in 1968. He was the Vice President of the National Defense Transportation Association in Denver and member of the El Jebel Temple of the Masonic Lodge in Denver.

After the passing of his first wife, Elmer then married Betty Rork Marcom October 12, 1994. He has a step-daughter Kim Ann Marcom. Betty was Elmer’s High School sweetheart. After both of their spouses passed away, they decided to marry. Elmer has been a loving father figure and mentor to Kim throughout her life. He was very proud of her and her accomplishments, especially advanced studies by obtaining a PhD, and a degree in Pharmacy.

Elmer and Betty’s travels include trips to Germany, France, England, Panama, South America, New Mexico and Alaska.

Elmer liked to help develop young people. He saw a young man, Joseph in the military and saw his potential. He was a strong source of encouragement, stability and support for Joseph who is now a successful attorney at law and became like a second so.

Elmer also liked hunting and fishing. He was an avid outdoors man. He spent time hunting big game in Germany with the Jaegermeister. However, his favorite hunting place was Meeker, Colorado at the Dodo Ranch, where he hunted elk with his companions of 40 years. These trips were annual and included Elmer, Dwayne, Dennis, Larry, the Judge, Nick, and all the valued friendships throughout those 40 plus years of hunting.

His best shot and most talked about hunting event was on his first trip with his hunting companion “the judge”. At their hunting area in Blue Mesa, Colorado, Elmer felled a bull elk on a dead run, with one shot, 500 yards! He taught his daughter Cheryl to hunt and a memorable moment they had together was when she spotted a trophy buck and he encouraged her to shoot at it. She shot several times but the buck just turned and calmly began to walk away. Elmer quickly took aim and felled it …with one shot! The buck’s head hangs mounted on the wall with the inscription. “Shot at and scared by Cheri, felled by Elmer”.

Elmer went on annual group fishing trips as well. His favorite fishing area was Seminole Reservoir in Wyoming. They always caught their limits of Rainbow, and German Brown trout, as well as, Walleye pike.

Elmer was full of life. He lived life to the fullest. He enjoyed his days here on earth and kept a creed that he lived by. He even had it printed on the back of his business cards. It read:

PROMISE YOURSELF:

*To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

*To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

*To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

*To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

*To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and except only the best.

*To be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

*To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

*To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

*To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

*To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.