Campus Crusade for Christ/CRU co-founder Vonette Bright died two days before Christmas. She was 89.
Earlier this month, her family released a statement saying Bright was close to the end: “Her prayer is that she will simply become weaker, fall asleep and wake up in the arms of Jesus,” they said.
Bright died from complications from acute leukemia.
“In all of life, she celebrated well and boldly invited others into the kingdom to celebrate with her,” reads the CRU website. “Thus Vonette was as at home in Buckingham Palace as in a meeting of the Christian Motorcycle Association—where she served as an honorary chair. Cab drivers and U.S. presidents were treated equally: ‘Oh, honey,’ she’d say as she greeted each one.”
Bright and her husband, Bill, who died in 2003, founded Campus Crusade—later called CRU—in 1951, Charisma News previously reported.
Campus Crusade for Christ is a worldwide, interdenominational Christian evangelism and discipleship organization. Since its founding, Campus Crusade for Christ has become one of the largest Christian organizations in the world. The organization currently is served by more than 25,000 full-time and part-time team members in 191 countries around the world and is comprised of 29 different ministries.
Vonette received numerous honors and recognitions, as well as six honorary doctorate degrees from universities such as Colorado Christian, Taylor University and Liberty University, according to her biography.
She founded the Great Commission Prayer Crusade and National Prayer Committee in 1972, according to the website. She served as chair of the Bright Media Foundation, chair emeritus of the National Prayer Committee and honorary co-chair of the Mission American Coalition.
For a full list of her accomplishments, click here.
