Vonette Bright, American evangelist, Died at 89

  Religion

William R. “Bill” Bright was born on October 19, 1921, and died on July 19, 2003.

He was an American evangelist.

In 1951 at the University of California, Los Angeles he founded Campus Crusade for Christ as a ministry for university students.

In 1952, William wrote The Four Spiritual Laws. In 1979 he produced the Jesus Film.

In 1996, he was awarded the $1.1 million Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, and donated the money to promote the spiritual benefits of fasting and prayer.

In 2001, William stepped down as leader of the organization and Rev.

Steve Douglass became president. He died in 2003.

Born in Coweta, Oklahoma, William described himself as being a “happy pagan” in his youth.

William graduated from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma with an Economics degree.

As a student at Northeastern State University, William was initiated into the Zeta Chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, and has subsequently been granted honorable alumni status to Alpha Gamma Omega Christ-Centered Fraternity.

While in his early 20s, he moved to Los Angeles, California and founded a company called Bright’s California Confections.

Bright passed away in 2003. He was survived by his wife Vonette, sons Zachary and Brad, and four grandchildren. His wife died in 2015.

The Rev. Billy Graham released a statement on Bright’s death: “He has carried a burden on his heart as few men that I’ve ever known – a burden for the evangelization of the world.

William is a man whose sincerity and integrity and devotion to our Lord have been an inspiration and a blessing to me ever since the early days of my ministry.”