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Judith (Filler) Bright, who grew up in Altoona and was a 1954 graduate of Altoona High School, died at her longtime home in Virginia on Jan. 28, 2024.
She was born in Cumberland, Md., and moved to Altoona at a young age with her older brother, Bud, and parents, Merl and Gwendolyn Ruggles Filler, when her father took a position at the Test Department of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
In Altoona, Judith was near her family, including paternal grandparents, Samuel and Laura Campbell Filler. Samuel's mother was Rebecca Reighard Filler and Judith was proud that she was related to the eponymous company which, among other things, apparently begat the nation's first gas station.
From Judith's childhood home on 26th Street, she attended Adams School (as had her father, father's three sisters, and grandfather) and Roosevelt Junior High before matriculating at Altoona High School. She made many lifelong friends among her neighbors and classmates, especially her best friend, Carol McGirk Riley, and Carol's siblings and spouses and their families.
Upon high school graduation, Judith worked for seven years in the right-of-way department at Penelec's Altoona office. During this period, she met a young U.S. Air Force officer assigned to the air defense radar site at Claysburg Air Force Station (now Blue Knob All Seasons Resort). She married J. Edward Bright in August 1963 at Sacred Heart Church with a reception at the Altoona Women's Club.
During Ed's subsequent 30-year Air Force career, Judith accompanied him on various assignments to Alabama, Ohio, Indiana and Washington, D.C. When then-Captain Bright was sent to Vietnam, she relocated for a year to Hollidaysburg. Judith and Ed Bright had four children and 12 grandchildren.
A celebration of her life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at Sydenstricker United Methodist Church in Virginia, where Judith had been an active member for nearly 45 years. The service will be livestreamed and then archived at this link: https://boxcast.tv/view/judith-bright-funeral-pqahrxshxhckw7j1izrf.
A brief interment service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 4, 2024, at Alto-Reste Park in Altoona, followed by a light buffet luncheon at noon at The Stone Cellar, 2514 Seventh Ave., Altoona. Friends are welcome at either or both Altoona events.
Arrangements are by Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home in Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Sydenstricker United Methodist Church, 8508 Hooes Road, Springfield, VA 22153; or a charity of your choice.
Online condolences can be made at fairfaxmemorialfuneralhome.com.