David Clifford Briggs

David Clifford Briggs passed away peacefully on October 13, 2024 at age 93. 

Dave was born at home on the family farm in Newark Valley, NY. He attended the Newark Valley public schools and graduated as valedictorian of his senior class. He attended Triple Cities College and earned a scholarship to the School of Engineering at Syracuse University. He graduated at the top of his class, was elected to Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honorary, and participated in Naval ROTC. After graduation, he served two years in the U.S. Navy in Cuba and Panama. Following this, he went to work for the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, which eventually grew into the Federal Highway Administration. He lived in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Master’s in Engineering Administration and met his future wife, Mary. Together they had four children. The family lived in Camp Hill, PA, Columbia, MD, and Delmar, NY. After retiring, Dave was an avid bike rider, woodworker, and jam maker. He and Mary traveled the world, visiting all of the continents, except Antarctica. Dave will be remembered for his love of family, ability to fix things, intellectual curiosity, craftmanship, hardworking, diligent nature, and deadpan sense of humor.

Dave was pre-deceased by his parents, Raymond (Ed) and Hazel, and his seven siblings, Oliver (Kenneth), Carl, Helen, James, Harold, Roy, and Norman. In addition to his wife, Dave is survived by his children, David Briggs, Jr. (Mary), Laura Briggs (Riad), John Briggs (Hisayo), and Cynthia Sagendorph, as well as his seven grandchildren, Aidan, Leila, Alex, Colin, Miyako, Shigeo, and Jason, and many nieces and nephews. 

Funeral Services will be held on October 26th at the Applebee Funeral Home, 403 Kenwood Ave, Delmar, with visitation hours 9:30-11 am, followed by the funeral service at 11 am. A brief graveside service will follow immediately after. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011.