Bernard D. Bright, prominent Henderson-Owensboro businessman, was born in Beloit, Wis., March 11, 1915, and was graduated from the Hartsville, SC high school. He attended the University of South Carolina for a year.
From 1942 to 1945, he served with the Army Infantry in Italy. Bright came to Henderson about 1947 and for a time made his home at the Henderson Hotel, which opened just the year before in the old hospital building at Washington and Adams streets. He first opened the Hi-Y Drive-In theater, which he had successfully operated. In about 1948, he and Mosco Miller went into the restaurant business together. He bought out Miller about two years later and had continued to operate the B-D Restaurant at 1340 N. Green street.
Bright lived in a room at 316 14th Street in Henderson, across the street from the B-D restaurant, which he owned. Bright had operated the B-D restaurant for about 12 years. He also had owned the Bright Star Restaurant (1304 N. Green), a few hundred feet South of the B-D restaurant but sold the Bright Star about 1949.
Bright was the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Bright, who lived at 1137 N. Green Street, two blocks South of the B-D restaurant.
On 18 Dec 1959, Bright was in the office of his new Bright Star Restaurant in the old Gabe’s Restaurant building on Frederica Street in Owensboro when he was shot and killed during a robbery. Bright was buried at Shepherd Memorial Park, Naples, Henderson County, North Carolina.
His murderer, Douglas Eugene Masterson, was sentenced to life in prison for the robbery. A murder charge against Masterson was dismissed on recommendation of the commonwealth’s attorney. He died 18 Jan 1965.
References:
Evansville Press December 18, 1959
Evansville Press December 19, 1959
Evansville Press June 2, 1960
