Obituary of Eugene C. Briggs

Eugene C. Briggs passed away on January 11, 2012. He was born on December 28, 1954 in Long Beach CA to Richard and Mildred Briggs. His loving family includes his Aunt Pat Mackey of Walnut Creek CA, his older brother Richard Briggs of Pine Beach NJ, his younger sister Sheila Briggs-Steuteville of Coatesville PA, as well as their respective families and children. He took great pleasure in seeing the energy and spirit of his younger nephews, and was incredibly proud of his older niece and nephews for their lines of work and beginning their own families. A great pleasure for him was spending time with his immediate family; his daughters, Gigi and Ali Briggs and his former wife and close friend, Gina Briggs. One of the most lovely things that Gene did was being a loving father-a family role that he cherished. Through constant, active communication, anecdotal story-telling and sincere interest in and awareness of the details of his daughters' lives, he was consistently able to give wise, thoughtful, caring advice. He was a 1974 graduate of the Ranney School, whereupon he started his own real estate appraising business while both attending Ocean County College for his A.A. in Liberal Arts, then Richard Stockton State College for his B.A. in Political Science. He recently completed his M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Georgian Court University. Becoming a counselor was something for which he developed great passion, where he was able to help people with his sincere dedication and care for the individual as a whole. He had looked forward to continuing his education in pursuit of a Clinical Psychology Psy.D. The epigraph atop the preface of the text Gene last read was a quote by Thomas Carlyle; "Blessed is he who has found his work. Let him seek no other blessedness." Gene found his work in clinical psychology. Always interested in learning things, Gene enjoyed a wide range of activities. From attending Mozart performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and a "Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus" exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, his personality was such that he equally fit in and enjoyed riding his Honda Goldwing and his 502 hp Boss Hoss with the Polar Bear Motorcycle Club throughout NJ, NY and PA. He was a great photographer, a skill he utilized in both taking pictures for house appraisals and for American scenery and landscapes. He had great respect for American history, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States. He loved Zuni turquoise and enjoyed designing unique jewelry from cabochons he chose. He appreciated the science of weather and enjoyed weather tracking, barometers and time pieces. One of his greatest sources of happiness and enjoyment was the love he shared with his loyal, devoted West Highland White Terriers. Over his lifetime, he found, rescued and loved nine Westies; his baby angels. Visitation will be held Sunday from 6 to 8 pm with a service at 7:30pm, at the Kedz Funeral Home, 1123 Hooper Ave., Toms River.