Donald Briggs

Hills, MN Donald Briggs, age 87 of Hills, MN died Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral service will be 2:00 PM, Saturday, June 5th at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills, MN, with Pastor Mahlon Bekedam officiating. Burial will be at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne, MN. Visitation will be Friday, June 4th from 2:00 to 8:00 PM, with family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Hills. Donald Leonard Briggs was born on February 25, 1923, the son of Wilbur Alexander and Lela Margerite (Powers) Briggs in Waterloo, IA. He attended East Waterloo grade school and Miller Creek Country School. He graduated from East Waterloo High School and attended Iowa State University. He farmed with his father until 1954, operating a retail dairy farm. Don also worked for Rath Packing Company and several neighbors. He later worked for Plattes Nursery and Minnesota Valley Breeders Association. He began working for the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service in Luverne, MN in January of 1956, retiring after thirty years of service in December of 1985. Don married Donna Marie Cole on March 29, 1948 in St. Cloud, MN. After Donnas death on November 26, 1988, he later married Edyth Mae (Winter) Brooks in Hills, MN, on November 28, 1992. He belonged to and was a member or life member of the Masonic Lodge: Past Master of Ben Franklin Lodge #114 and Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, York Rite: Past Grand High Priest of the Royal Arch Masons of Minnesota and the Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Cryptic Masons of Minnesota, Past Commander and Recorder of Luverne Commandery #22, A.A.O.N. M.S. member; thirty-two years as a Baritone Horn player for the El Riad Big Band; Royal Order of Scotland, Minnesota York Rite College, Knights York Cross of Honor, Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests, Allied Masonic Degrees, Unuversal Craftsmen Council of Engineers, Grand Chaplain 2006-2007 and many other Masonic affiliated bodies. Clan McNaughton Association Worldwide, Scottish Heritage U.S.A., American Iris Society, and was Knighted in The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem. He was a former member of the Masonic Scottish Rite, Hills Lions Club. He has served as Senior Warden of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Luverne, MN and on the church council of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills, MN. He was an avid gardener, artist, musician and traveler. Don is survived by his wife Edyth; daughter, Deborah; two grandchildren, Rosanna and Jacob; seven great-grandchildren, Carly, Abrielle, Selena, Jaeden, Mya, Myalz and Spencer; one brother, Rodrick; one nephew, Cameron; and four nieces, Debra, Barbara, Patricia and Becky. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife Donna and son, Donald.