John Briggs

JOHN BRIGGS

Volga

John Jason Briggs, 83, of Volga, passed away at his residence in Volga on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015.

He was born Sept. 22, 1931, at his grandma's house in Mechanicsville, the son of George G. and Lucy L. (Ford) Briggs. John attended country school near Lisbon and was a 1949 Lisbon High School graduate. After school he worked at Eddy Paper in Cedar Rapids. He also sheared sheep for local farmers and the Dubuque Packing Co.

On Nov. 17, 1950, John was united in marriage to Loretta VanAmburg in Anamosa. Together they settled near Urbana to farm. In 1964, John purchased his first farm. The family then moved to a farm near Chicken Ridge, south of Elkader, where they lived until 1994, when they retired to Volga.

John started playing music with his father at a very young age. He loved playing music and later played with The Good Timers, The Shindiggers and The Playboys. He enjoyed spending time with his family, fishing, hunting, and camping trips with their very good friends, Homer and Marge Curtis.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 65 years, Loretta Briggs of Volga; three children, Ernest (Bobbie Jo Nelson) Briggs of Whipholt, Minn., Bob (Cindy) Briggs of Urbana and Gina Lou Briggs of Volga; seven grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and his brother, George "Dick" (Mary) Briggs of Lisbon.

John was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers-in-law, Dale and Bruce VanAmburg; and one sister-in-law, Jane Paradis.

Online condolences may be sent to www.leonard-mullerfh.com.

Funeral services: 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31, at the United Methodist Church in Volga, with Pastor Julie Ahrens officiating. Visitation: 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at the church. Interment: Rose Hill Cemetery, Mechanicsville.

Leonard-Muller Funeral Home in Strawberry Point is assisting the family.