Joseph "Jay" Briggs, Jr.

Joseph D. “Jay” Briggs Jr., 74, of Moss Bluff, LA was healed and received into his heavenly home by his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sunday, February 12, 2017 and all of Heaven rejoiced.

Jay was a 1959 graduate of Lake Charles High School and enjoyed planning reunions and keeping in touch with his beloved classmates.

He was the owner and operator of Jay Briggs General Contractor Inc. Construction Company for 49 years and proudly ran his business with his son, Brian Briggs, and his faithful secretary, Cathy Perry, by his side. He believed in hard work and loved what he did every day of his life.

Jay was a faithful member of Gillis First Baptist Church where he lovingly served as a deacon, Sunday school teacher, and a member of the Building and Grounds Committee for many years. He also loved his time spent on many mission trips to Honduras where he helped put roofs on countless village churches and led construction projects for The Good Shepherd Children’s Home Orphanage.

Over the years Jay enjoyed many hobbies including hunting trips to Colorado and Texas and tournament fishing at Toledo Bend, but none could match his lifelong love for drag racing. It was a passion he shared with his son as they built their car and traveled to the races together along with friends and family, including his brother, Pat, who almost never missed a race.

Jay would quickly tell you though, that his greatest blessing and achievement on this earth was his large family. He was a wonderful and loving husband, father, father-in-law and PaPa, who never missed an opportunity to pray over his large crew. He was also a loving son, brother, uncle, and friend to so many who will miss him so deeply. His example to us as a Spiritual Leader has been inspiring and will continue to live on as we, his family and friends, pick up the baton he has now passed to us and finish this race until we meet again in Heaven.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving and devoted wife of almost 50 years whom he adored, Alice Briggs; three children, Donna Marshall (Greg) of Iowa, LA, Shannon Briggs-Hack (Scott) of Austin, TX, and Brian Briggs (Sabrina) of Moss Bluff, LA; four siblings, Pat Briggs (Kathy) of Lake Charles, LA, Janelle Braham (Armin) of Lake Charles, LA, Mary Margaret Patin (Bob) of Austin, TX, and Frank Abate (Sally) of Lake Charles, LA; grandchildren, Elise and Brian Briggs, Jr., Joseph Marshall (Barbi), Abby Marshall Benny (Derek), Lily Marshall Brown (Revel), Elizabeth, Adelyn, Ruth, Sarah, and Emma Marshall; and great grandchildren, Wyatt and Ryder Marshall, Titus and Addison Benny, and Garen LaBiche.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jacquelyn and Joseph Briggs, Sr.; his step mother, Vergie Abate Briggs; and an infant brother, James Briggs.

A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 18, 2017 in the Gillis First Baptist Church. The Rev. Glenn George will officiate. A gathering of family and friends will begin at 1:00 PM in the church and continue until the start of the service and will resume following the service.

The family of Jay Briggs would also like at this time, to express our sincerest appreciation and deepest gratitude to Dr. Michael Bergeron M.D., his nurse, Pam Reed R.N. and all of the nurses in Chemo Bay at LCMH. You will continue to be in our Prayers as you so lovingly fulfill your calling to heal. God Bless You.

Jay had a passion for and poured his heart into the Gillis First Baptist Church Building and Grounds Committee. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his honor to the committee, 678 Topsy Rd., Lake Charles, LA 70611.