Leslie C. Briggs

EAST CONCORD - Leslie C. Briggs passed away at the age of 91 due to complications of Alzheimer's disease on January 5, 2009 at the St. Johnsbury Health and Rehabilitation Center. He was born August 4, 1917 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.

On September 26, 1937 Leslie and Phyllis E. Woodbury were married. Except for a brief time after first being married and for the last two years while receiving care in St. Johnsbury Leslie resided in East Concord, VT. He served in the U.S. Army during WW II.

Leslie attended East Concord Elementary School and Concord High School where he graduated and completed post graduate work.  He also attended classes at Michigan State and Temple University

For many years he was employed at Gilman Paper Company and then was the foreman for the Cellucord Corporation in Gilman, VT.  He was later employed with the State of Vermont Departments of Employment and Unemployment and was manager of the Unemployment office in St. Johnsbury at the time of retirement. For several years both before and after retirement, Leslie wrote for The Coos County Democrat and The Caledonian-Record.

He was a 60-year member of Moose River Lodge #82 Free & Accepted Masons, Haswell Chapter #11 Royal Arch Masons, Caledonia Council #1 Royal & Select Masons, Palestine Commandery #5 Knights Templar, Mount Sinai Shriners Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and the Vermont Order of Eastern Star Adah Chapter #39.  Leslie was also a member of the East Concord United Methodist Church and elected as member of the Concord School Board.

Leslie often worked with other community volunteers on many projects and events. In 1934, as young man, he assisted other volunteers by using the family horses to help excavate a basement large enough for the "new" school in East Concord to have a gymnasium.

He usually read newspapers from cover to cover and would often clip articles from them to save or give to others. His fondness of writing and frequent contributions to the "Caledonian" made his decision to accept the job with the state of Vermont difficult, since at the same time the Caledonian-Record Publishing Company had offered him a reporters job.

Leslie and Phyllis worked to help establish the Concord Historical Society an organization in which he served many years as an officer. He and Phyllis usually worked at the Concord Historical Museum during the annual "open house".  He was instrumental for and worked with the late Senator Graham S. Newhall of St. Johnsbury in having East Concord become the location for a Vermont Historical Sites marker. The marker was for Rev. George L. Fox. Rev. Fox was one of the four Chaplains who on the USS Dorchester in WW II gave up their life jackets to other soldiers. Rev. Fox's last sermon before entering the war was given at the East Concord United Methodist Church. Leslie worked to have Memorial Day Observances in East Concord that also included participation of the Grant-Nichols Fife and Drum Corps to continue a tradition since 1866.

Leslie is survived by his wife of 71 years Phyllis E. (Woodbury) Briggs of East Concord;  Lindsey A. Briggs and special friend Janet Blaisdell, Littleton, NH, Gary L Briggs and wife Linda (Deth) of Morrisville, VT; a daughter, Janice (Briggs) Boulais of Plaistow, NH; a daughter in law, Noreen (Langsner) Briggs of Sacramento, CA; former son in law, Michael Boulais of Arizona; a twin brother Raymond Roach of Pooler, GA (As twins Leslie and Raymond were separated shortly after birth. At the age of 37 they were reunited on the stage of the CBS television show "I've Got A Secret"); Grand children, Stephanie (Briggs) and Michael Lyons, of Norwich, VT, Glenn and wife Kendice Briggs of Irvine, CA, Sheila (Briggs) and Mark Scafine of San Mateo, CA, Karen (Boulais) and Bruce Butler of Randolph, VT, Laura (Boulais) and Brian Foley of Epping, NH, Carlyle and wife Kami Boulais of Texas, Shawn Boulais of Plaistow, NH, Rhonda (Boulais) and John Keough of Plaistow, NH, Chad Briggs of Eden, VT, Seth Briggs of Baltimore, MD; 18 Great-grand children; and several nephews and nieces

He was predeceased by his father Horace C. Briggs; his mother Grace (Steere) Briggs;

a sister Arlene Merriman; and a brother George Grant.

Visiting hours will be held Friday evening January 9, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Bailey Funeral Home in Lancaster.  A Masonic service will be held prior to the visiting hours at 5:45 PM.  A funeral service will be held Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM at the funeral home.  Rev. Gerry Piper of Danville will officiate.  Burial with military honors will be in the spring at Riverside Cemetery, S. Lunenburg.

In lieu of flowers donations may be given in memory of Leslie to the Concord Historical Society, P.O. Box 195, Concord, VT 05824 or to the East Concord United Methodist Church in care of Georganna Dow, 370 East Concord Road, Lunenburg, VT 0590-9757