Leroy Frank Bright, Jr., Lt. Commander, US Navy, retired, 69, died at his home in Syracuse, Ohio, on October 14, 2012, after a six-year battle with multiple myeloma cancer.

Lee was a proud Navy Mustang, who retired as a Lt. Commander in August 1987, after serving 20 years, including four in Viet Nam. In the Navy, a Mustang is an officer who is promoted up from the ranks of Navy enlisted personnel. It is also understood that the Mustang Officer is a career sailor and normally wears one or more Good Conduct Medals (Lee wore two). Lee was a Navy Limited Duty Officer (LDO) which is a very unique part of the Naval Service. LDOs are enlisted people who are commissioned as officers, and have been called to serve from their senior enlisted ranks as technical managers. An LDO has the necessary experience and technical background to perform tasks that call for the “officer” rank and protocol to carry out, but require the enlisted heart and experience to get accomplished.

Lee was born on January 11, 1943, in Columbus, Ohio, to the late Leroy Frank Bright and Sarah Elizabeth Edwards Bright. He is survived by his wife, Elaine Pollard Bright, Daytona Beach, Fla.; brother, Gordon Fred Bright (Chris), Slidell, La.; aunts, ElmaWeese, Emmogene Hamilton, Syracuse, Ohio; Eloise Seely, Hopkinton, Mass.; uncle Emmett Edwards, Grove City, Ohio; nephew, Gordon Scott Bright, Columbus, Ohio; other nephews, nieces and many cousins.

A graveside memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, October 23, in the Gilmore Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson-McDaniel Funeral Home, Pomeroy.