NAME: VERNE AVERY BRIGGS, AGE 85, LONGTIME ATOKA RESIDENT.

BORN: FEBRUARY 13, 1915 AT ATOKA TO THOMAS HIREM AND MARY CORDELIA (WAGONER) BRIGGS. PASSED AWAY: FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2000 AT THE COLONIAL MANOR IN ATOKA, OK. AGE: 85 YEARS 2 MONTHS AND 29 DAYS. EDUCATION: ATTENDED SCHOOLS AT ATOKA AND GRADUATED FROM WEWOKA HIGH IN 1932. HE RECEIVED HIS B. A. DEGREE FROM OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY AND HIS MASTERS DEGREE IN COUNSELING FROM SOUTHEASTERN OKLA. STATE UNIVERSITY. MARRIED: ELIZABETH SMITH ON MARCH 27, 1937 AT WEWOKA, OK. OCCUPATION: HE WAS A LONGTIME RANCHER AND AN EDUCATOR. CHURCH AFFILIATION: VERNE WAS A MEMBER AND ELDER AT THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN ATOKA. HE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ATOKA STATE BANK MANY YEARS. HE WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE ATOKA RURAL WATER DIST. #4, SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE P.T.A. AND WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE ATOKA ROTARY CLUB. HE WORKED SOME 20 YEARS FOR THE NATIONAL RURAL REHABILITATION BOARD IN OKLAHOMA. SURVIVED BY WIFE: ELIZABETH BRIGGS OF ATOKA, OK. SON: DR. JIM BRIGGS OF ATOKA, OK. GRANDCHILDREN: JAMIE ISABELLE BRIGGS OF ATOKA, OK. ERIN KATHERINE BRIGGS OF ATOKA, OK. SISTER: LOUISE LIGON OF ALBUQURQUE, NM. NEPHEWS: THOMAS LIGON, DR. DAVID LIGON, THOMAS BRIGGS, DR. MANLEY BRIGGS, AND CHARLES BRIGGS. NIECES: LINDA SMITH AND LOUISE SMITH. SISTER-IN-LAW: SUE BRIGGS OF FARMINGTON, NM. PRECEDED IN DEATH PARENTS: THOMAS HIRAM AND MARY CORDELIA BRIGGS. SON: WILLIAM VERNE (BILL) BRIGGS. BROTHERS: GENE M. BRIGGS AND DR. EDWIN BRIGGS. NEPHEW: MARK LIGON. NIECE: BETH BRIGGS.

DATE OF SERVICES: TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2000 AT 2:00 P.M. PLACE OF SERVICES: BROWN'S FUNERAL CHAPEL ~ ATOKA, OK. INTERMENT: GREEN MEADOWS CEMETERY ~ ATOKA, OK. OFFICIATING: DR. DON HAZELL. CASKETBEARERS: JOHN DOWLEN, JOHN FISHER, DAVID DOWNING, CHARLES MCCALL, GROVER TURNER, BOBBY VAIL. HONORARY CASKETBEARERS: BARNEY MCCALL, BROWN WYRICK, VICTOR DOWNING, MUTT HALL, DR. DON RIPPEE, MARK THOMAS, BILL LOWE.