Dr. Garrett Briggs

Dr. Garrett Briggs passed away peacefully on his 88th birthday, December 31, 2022, surrounded by the love of his family, cared for constantly by his wife, Sue, and the nurses and staff at Glenaire in Cary, whom he loved and who had compassionately ministered to him during a lengthy illness.

Garrett was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, to Albert Sidney Briggs, Jr. and Margaret Garrett Briggs on December 31, 1934. He graduated from Southern Methodist University, where he received both a B.S. and M.S. degree in geology. While at SMU, he married his high school sweetheart, Susan Lynn Walters. They recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. He later earned his Ph.D. in Geology at the University of Wisconsin.

Garrett and Sue then moved to New Orleans, where Garrett worked for several years for California Co. as a petroleum geologist in the Louisiana Gulf Coast region before joining the geology department at Tulane University. In 1968, they moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, where he spent thirteen years at the University of Tennessee and became head of the Department of Geological Sciences and later associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts. While at Tulane University and the University of Tennessee, he conducted research in the field of geology and was a consultant for the Oklahoma Geological Survey, the Tennessee Division of Geology, and the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers in New Orleans.

In 1981, the family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, where he served as dean of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences at North Carolina State University until 1988 when he became president of Peace College (now William Peace University). During his administration, the college doubled its endowment and became a four-year, baccalaureate-granting institution.

Throughout his career and into his retirement, Garrett remained active in numerous church, civic, and professional organizations. He was senior warden in four different Episcopal churches, including St. Michael’s in Raleigh, and was an elder of First Presbyterian Church of Raleigh. He served as board chair of the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities Risk Management Inc. He was chair of the Raleigh Salvation Army Advisory Board, president of the Rotary Club of Raleigh, a trustee at Shaw University, president of the Watauga Club, member of the Board of Governors of the Research Triangle Institute, and a Fellow of the Geological Society of America.

Aside from his leadership roles, Garrett will be remembered for his enthusiasm for teaching the Bible in area churches and at Glenaire, where he lived for the past 10 years. He is remembered for his lecture series “The Parables of Jesus” and his lecture series on the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Garrett was also a gifted artist, and his pastel paintings are known for remarkable realism and his use of light and detail. He often used local scenes from Ashe County, North Carolina, and other places he visited.

Above all, Garrett is remembered as a man of integrity and compassion, taking particular interest in caring for people in need of encouragement and opportunity. Though a gifted public speaker, he preferred to relate to people one-on-one to better communicate his interest and concern for them as individuals. In this way, he left an indelible mark on many in the places he has lived and visited.

Garrett is survived by his wife Sue and their four children and families: Dr. Douglas G. Briggs and wife Michaele Orlowski Briggs of Raleigh, James T. Briggs and wife Donna Kanna Briggs of Raleigh, Paul C. Briggs and wife Jennifer Hoffman Briggs of Charlotte, and Molly Briggs Thompson and husband, Dr. Michael Thompson of Charlotte. Garrett and Sue have nine grandchildren, Nicole, Michael, Marie, Garrett, Mason, Campbell, Reagan, Elly, and Sarah, and two great-grandchildren, Mercy and Levi.

A reception will be on Thursday, January 19, 2023, from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm at Glenaire Retirement Community, 4000 Glenaire Circle in Cary. A memorial service will be held on January 20, 2023, at 2:00 pm at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 100 E Peace Street in Raleigh. The family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Micou Browne Endowment for Glenaire ( https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/brightspirefoundation ), William Peace University ( www.peace.edu/alumni-giving/give/ ), or NeighborHealth Center ( www.neighborhealthcenter.org/donate/ ).

A service of Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Raleigh. Online condolences may be made at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com