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Facts and Events
References
- ↑ Oakwood Memorial Park, in Find A Grave
Martha Emmalaid Forbes Bright .
Mother's Maiden Name: Gilbert
Prominent for most of her life in missionary work not only in this country but in South America and Mexico as well, Mrs. Martha Emmalaid Bright died here Saturday afternoon at the age of 84 years. In failing health for some time, she fell recently, breaking a hip. She died at a local hospital although she had been making her home with Mr. and Mrs. William F. Dillon at 65 Poplar avenue. Mrs. Bright, always an active woman until only a few years ago, moved to the Dillon home shortly after the death of her husband, Charles Henry Bright, who died April 1, 1943, at the age of 94.
- Home Becomes Chapel
The couple had many friends here, most of them gathered through the Brights' activities at their home, which became a chapel to many Santa Crowns. Moving here about 35 years ago, the couple continued their missionary work at their home, 43 Chilverton, where Mrs. Bright played the organ and Mr. Bright preached sermons. They did not affiliate with any church. The Brights began their career together when she joined him in Mexico nearly 60 years ago. Together they carried their missionary work to South America to establish a mission in Peru, still flourishing. Mrs. Bright was about the only white woman in the country at the time.
Leaving the south, they came to Santa Cruz which has been their home nearly 35 years. Mrs. Bright, born in Arlington, Ill., has always been an active woman and a practical one. She chose the plain deep blue dress in which she wanted to be buried. She even did the delicate tatting of the collar recently, reminding Mrs. Dillon of the purpose of the dress.
A woman of almost fantastic energy until about her 80th birthday, she and her husband both were familiar to Santa Cruzans as one or the other drove the city streets in an ancient Dodge touring car during recent years.
Funeral services for Mrs. Bright will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock and interment will be in the family plot at Oakwood cemetery. Rev. M. M. Kilpatrick will officiate and services will be held at White's mortuary. Mrs. Henry Hutman, the former Katherine Adair, a foster daughter, survives, living in San Francisco. A sister, Alma Fullington, resides in Nebraska and a brother, Edgar Forbes, lives in Washington. There are numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and nephews and other distant relatives.
Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel on October 14, 1945
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