Aldena R. Bright, 92 of. New Haven, born May 22, 1922 in New Haven to the late Alexander and Viola (Thompson) Rawlins entered eternal rest on Aug. 2, 2014.
Aldena began playing the organ at Bethel AME Church at the age of 8. After many attempts at retiring, it wasn’t until 2003 that she finally retired after devoting 72 years of being the church organist. She recalls that she and another woman broke the color barrier in the 1940s during World War II, when they worked behind the counter at Kresge’s downtown store.
She leaves to cherish her memory, her devoted son, William Bright, Jr; cousin, Margery Mills and a host of relatives and friends.
A celebration of her life will take place Monday, August 11, 2014 at 11:00 AM at Bethel AME Church, 255 Goffe St., New Haven with visitation Monday at the church from 10 – 11:00 AM. Interment will take place in Evergreen Cemetery, New Haven.
Services by Howard K. Hill Funeral Services, 1287 Chapel St, New Haven, CT. To leave a message of comfort to the Bright family, please visit
www.hkhfuneralservices.com
.
New Haven is filled with such wonderful history. I hope that someone recorded some of the stories Mrs. Bright had to share over her many years of life. Imagine being the organist of a church for 72 years! I wonder what it was like to be one of two women to have broken the color barrier in New Haven in the 1940s? What was life in NH like during World War 11? So often we miss opportunities to record our own history. Yes, New Haven is filled with a very RICH history; let's start writing. RIP Mrs. Bright; 92 years in the vineyard is a long time.