Norman Alden Briggs

Norman Alden Briggs, age 92 and a lifelong resident of Jennings, passed away peacefully on March 25 in the American Legion Hospital after battling congestive heart failure. Born November 24, 1925 to L.W. and Cecile Matherne Briggs, he graduated from Jennings High and entered the Army at age 18. He deployed to France and Belgium and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. Upon discharge, he married his high school sweetheart, Betty Barousse, in 1947. After completing architectural drafting school in Kansas City, he drew house plans for Jennings Lumber Co. until enlisting in the National Guard in 1952. He served full-time as the company’s First Sergeant for the next 33 years. To support six children, he worked many second jobs, such as bartending at the old Zigler hotel, making rubber stamps for the local banks, and building a new house for his mother-in-law. He also constructed two family homes as his own family grew. After his military retirement, he worked as the city’s building inspector, and also re-mapped the city’s cemetery and created an index system for all plot ownerships. This was done between extended travel around the U.S. and Canada in his series of fixer-upper motorhomes, pulling his beloved 1986 Honda (which he continued to drive until last month). He was a gifted woodworker in his at-home workshop, a jokester, a tinkerer, a pecan pie baker, a fig picker, a potato salad maker, a Catholic church lector and Eucharistic minister, a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus member, a VFW member, a Woodmen of the World president, a donor to many charitable causes, a coin collector, and a recliner and TV remote hog. He is survived by Betty, his adored wife of 71 years, daughter Cherie Earles and husband Dana in Phoenix, son Kirk and wife Karen in Lafayette, son Tim and wife Janice in Arnaudville, son Monte and wife Sue in Crowley, son Kevin and wife Susan in Lafayette, and daughter Kathy in Jennings; 14 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild on the way; and too many grand-animals to count. He gave every grandchild and great-grandchild a nickname, which stuck despite their wishes. He was predeceased by his parents, his three brothers–Harold, George and L.O.–a sister Elsie Hine, and one grandson. Visitation will be at Miguez Funeral Home from 9 AM to 1:45 PM on Monday, April 2, with Mass at OLHC Catholic Church at 2:00 PM and interment immediately afterward at Calvary Cemetery in Jennings. Share words of comfort with Norman’s family in the guest book at: tinyurl.com/normanbriggs