William R. "Bill" Bright Orbituary
October 19, 1921 - July 19, 2003

William R. "Bill" Bright, founder of the world's largest Christian ministry and known around the globe as one of the most vigorous Christian evangelists, died Saturday, July 19, 2003, in Orlando, Florida, from complications related to pulmonary fibrosis, a degenerative disease of the lungs. He was 81. Bright spent half a century building and leading Campus Crusade for Christ to its current size of 26,000 staff members and 225,000 volunteers working in 191 countries.

Both near Coweta, Oklahoma, in 1921, Bright attended a one-room schoolhouse until eighth grade. In high school and college he distinguished himself as an achiever in academics, student government, journalism, oratory, and debate, all which would serve him well later in his life as head of the world's largest Christian ministry. It was in Coweta that Bright met his wife, the former Vonette Zachary. After graduating with honors from Oklahoma's Northeastern State University in 1944, Bright moved to Southern California and began a successful Theological Seminaries in 1951, Bright says he was inspired to leave his budding business empire and embrace the scriptural command to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 29:19).

In 1951, Bill Bright and his wife Vonette pursued their passion for ministry by starting Campus Crusade for Christ at the University of California at Los Angeles. What began with college students has since grown into the largest international Christian ministry in the world, reaching beyond students to serve inner cities, the military, athletes, political and business leaders, the entertainment industries, and families.

In 2000, Bright received the first Lifetime Achievement Award from his alma mater, Northeastern State University. In that same year, Bright and his wife were given the Lifetime Inspiration Award from Religious Heritage of American Foundation. Additionally, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from both the National Association for Evangelicals and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

In 2002, Dr. Bright was inducted into the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Bill Bright is survived by his wife Vonette; his sister Florence Skinner of Coweta, Oklahoma; his brother Forest Bright of Hemet, California; his son Zachary, who is a pastor of Divine Savior Presbyterian Church in California; his son Bradley, who is on staff with Campus Crusade, and four grandchildren.