W.E. Briggs

W. E. Briggs, 96, of Coleman, died Thursday, September 01, 2016 at Coleman County Medical Center. Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, September 4, 2016 at Stevens Funeral Home Chapel, 400 West Pecan Street, Coleman, with his grandson, Rev. Dayton Ferguson officiating. Burial will be in the Coleman City Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.

He was born William Elias Briggs on May 19, 1920 in Novice to Arthur Marion Briggs and Ida Mae Wilson Briggs. He grew up in Novice and graduated from Novice High School. On December 10, 1943, he married Faye Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Smith, in Novice. They shared 72 years of marriage in the Novice area in Coleman County, where they raised their two daughters, Sue and Denise. He spent his life as a building contractor and built many homes in Coleman. He also enjoyed plowing and sowing his own land.

Mr. Briggs enlisted in the United States Army during World War II, obtaining the rank of Corporal. He served with the 36th Infantry Division, Company B from 1939 to 1943 and was sent to Africa on the SS Argentina. He then traveled to Salerno, Italy where he was wounded from machine gun fire on September 13, 1942. He spent 10 months in O'Reilly General Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. Mr. Briggs was the recipient of two purple hearts.

Throughout his 96 years, Mr. Briggs was proud of his service in the military, loved his wife and family and he loved his Mountain Dew and Peanut M&M's. He was a member of Novice Baptist Church and attended North Coleman Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Faye Briggs of Coleman; two daughters, Sue Briggs White and husband, Roger, of Coleman, Denise Briggs McCarson and husband, Andy, of Houston; seven grandchildren, Christi, Aubrey, Micah, Andrea, Dawn, Tony, Miranda; seven great grandchildren, Audra, Becca, Adrian, Dayton, Weston, Lyn, Huntleigh; three great-great grandchildren, Brailey, Jacey, McKinlee and several nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, Mr. Briggs is preceded in death by four sisters, Irene Earhart, Jane Schroder, Mona Ellison and Anna Rae Fulfer.

Visitation with the family will be from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, September 3, 2016 at Stevens Funeral Home.

Memorial donations in memory of Mr. Briggs may be made to the Brown County Museum of History, Military Exhibit, P. O. Box 2006, Brownwood, Texas 76804-2006.

Condolences for the family may be left online at www.livingmemorials.com.