Rev. Clate William Briggs Jr.
Published 4:33 pm Monday, March 20, 2017
“Well done, Thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
Rev. Clate William Briggs Jr., 84, of Elizabethton, SFC Ret. U.S. Army, went home to be with his Lord, Saturday, March 18, 2017, at Erwin Health Care Center after an extended illness.
A native of Carter County, he was a son of the late Clate William Briggs Sr. and Hulda Thomas Briggs.
Rev. Briggs was a graduate of Elizabethton High School. He served 20 years in the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Ft. Jackson, S.C., Ft. Hood, Texas, Ft. Sill, Okla., Ft. Polk, La., Ft. Benning, Ga., and Ft. Lewis, Wash. He had tours of duty in Korea, Greenland and two tours in Germany and Vietnam. At Ft. Sill, he was awarded a certificate of Achievement by the Post Commander. He also received a Swagger Stick for Superior Instructor Performances in field artillery from USATC FA Training Center. The Vietnam Government presented him a certificate of Appreciation for his work as U.S. Army Advisor. He received the following medals: United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal with OLC, Bronze Star with OLC, Purple Heart, Korean Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal 5th Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam), Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Army Commendation Medal with 2 OLC.
Rev. Briggs served as a Minister in Lawton, Okla., and West Helena, Ark. Upon his retirement from the Military in 1982, he had been a minister to the Carter County Nursing Homes. He was loved by all the residents as he walked the halls singing, playing his guitar, praying and talking to everyone. On Sunday he had church service for two nursing homes. In 1995, Rev. Briggs was honored as the Volunteer of the Year by the Tennessee Health Care Association.
Rev. Briggs was Vice President of the Vietnam Veterans of America #824, where he ministered to veterans of all wars. He was a member of First Free Will Baptist Church of Elizabethton.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife and life partner, Kate Oliver Briggs, who died November 30, 2004; a son, Bobby Lee Briggs; a brother, Jerald Briggs; and a grandson, Travis Bradshaw.
Survivors include his daughters, Dolores Moore and husband Geff, Johnson City, and Karen McLaughlin and husband Jimmy, Independence, Mo.; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one brother, Joel Briggs and wife Ina, Elizabethton.
Graveside services for Rev. Clate William Briggs Jr. will be conducted at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, in the Wilson Cemetery with the Rev. Nathan Jennings and the Rev. Jack Lloyd officiating. Interment will follow the service. Pallbearers and Military Honors will be provided by the Tennessee National Guard. The family will receive friends from 1:30 until 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website: www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Briggs family.