Thomas Bright

Thomas Dalton "Tom" Bright, age 80, passed away April 10, 2006, at Health Center Northwest in Kalispell.

He was born Feb. 22, 1926, at Centralia, Ill., the son of John W. and Elizabeth (Knight) Bright.

He attended schools in Peoria, Ill., and San Diego, Calif. He entered the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943, and served in World War II, where he was a member of the 3rd Marine Division and served in the Asiatic Pacific Area, the Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Marianas Islands and the Volcano Islands. He was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

He also participated in action against the Japanese on Guam and Iwo Jima. He is credited with the capture of the first Japanese prisoner on Guam. He toured in Vietnam, where he received the Bronze Star.

On May 25, 1951, he was united in marriage to Margaret Grover at Williams Air Force Base in Chandler, Ariz. Following his discharge from the Marines, he entered the U.S. Air Force and proudly made it his career for the next 26 years.

He and Marge moved to San Antonio, Texas, where Tom began a career selling real estate. Following a vacation to the Flathead Valley, they loved the area so much they decided to relocate to Kalispell in 1975. He was a licensed hearing-aid specialist and worked for Chuck Olson Real Estate for many years.

He loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman, was a very talented woodworker and was a past member of the Artists and Craftsmen of the Flathead Valley.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, where he was a 3rd and 4th degree Knight, a member of the National Rifle Association and the Whitefish Rifle Range, and a devout member St. Matthew's parish.

He was preceded in death by his son, John Dalton Bright; eight little babies; his parents, John W. and Elizabeth Bright; and a sister Joy Raney.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret "Marge" Bright, of Kalispell; sister Joan Ackmann, of Elgin, Ill.; nieces Rhonda Finke and husband David, of Paducah, Ky., and Barbara Mars, of Nashville, Tenn.; nephews Dale Raney and Eric Raney, both of Illinois; and numerous other nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Mass of Christian burial took place April 18, 2006, at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, with Father Vic Langhans as celebrant.

The family suggests that any donations be made to John Bright Memorial Fund, St. Matthew's Catholic Church, 601 Sixth Avenue West, Kalispell MT 59001.