Wayne Briggs

After a long battle with cancer, Charles Wayne Briggs passed away in the early morning hours on September 8, 2020 while in hospice care.  A memorial service for Wayne Briggs will be held at Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut Street,  Abilene, Texas 79602, at 11:00  AM on Saturday, September 12th. Anyone who knew Wayne is welcome to attend, and in lieu of flowers please bless someone by buying their lunch, praying for a stranger, or some other act of kindness.

Wayne was born in 1943 to Charles and Altamay Briggs and grew up with two brothers and two sisters in Akron, Michigan. While attending ACU, he met the love of his life, and in 1965 Wayne married Charlotte McDonald of Sherman, Texas. They had many adventures together, including moving to Vietnam during the war for missionary work. Shortly after moving to Vietnam, Wayne was shot in the arm while riding on a MedEvac helicopter. He hitched a ride on that helicopter because he heard a man was struggling in life and he wanted to minister to him. However, getting shot didn’t stop his service to others, and he stayed with his wife in Vietnam for four years as they served others with the love of Christ.  After returning to the U.S. Wayne earned his Masters in Social Work. Wayne and Charlotte were blessed with two children, Julie Briggs and Matt Briggs. Whether working with orphanages and visiting military personnel in Vietnam, working as a marriage and family therapist, or opening his home to those who needed a place to stay, Wayne wanted to help people. He could often be found visiting different churches, non-profits, and pretty much anywhere there was a group of Christians getting together. He loved talking about God to anyone who would listen.  Although he suffered from many medical issues, including eventually becoming a triple amputee, Wayne always trusted in God’s goodness and tried to share his faith with others. In later years, his medical condition meant he needed extra help, and Carol Smith became more than just his primary caretaker - she became one of Wayne’s closest friends.

Wayne is survived by Charlotte Briggs; 4 siblings, Mark Briggs, David Briggs, Diane Briggs Stekl, and Linda Briggs White; his daughter, Julie Michelle Briggs; his son, Matthew Emery Briggs; his daughter-in-law Misty Briggs; and his granddaughter Maisie Emery Briggs.

Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.