Thomas “Tom” A. Briggs

Thomas A. ‘Tom’ Briggs age 74, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, died peacefully at 1:05 a.m., Thursday, September 17, 2020 at The Springs of Lima. He had been surrounded by his family all day on Wednesday. He was born July 30, 1946 in Bluffton to the late Clyde E. and Margaret Louise Pogue Briggs. He married Nancy A. Walther Davis Nov. 20, 1971 and she survives in Lima.
Tom graduated from Shawnee High School and attended a Technical School for drafting and Automotive Pattern making in Chicago. He attended Shawnee Alliance Church, was a member of the Eagles, Life Member of the Elks BPOE 54 and Life member of the National Rifle Association. He was an avid outdoors man, enjoying fishing, camping, snowmobiling, and hunting, including bow and primitive gun hunting. He raced drag and stock cars and was sponsored by Harvey Ford of Indianapolis holding a Drag Speed record at Indianapolis for several years. Tom also enjoyed creating forged knives and custom designing picture frames. Tom was the owner of Briggs Pattern Shop and Picture Frames business for 30 years and had been a corrections officer at Allen Correctional Institution for 10 years.
Additional survivors include daughters: Michelle (Chris) Krelovich of Rifle, CO and Christina ‘Tina’ (Jamie) Reindel of Delphos; 8 grandchildren: Colten Zippay, Caleb Krelovich, Makayla Krelovich, Madison Wellman, Cole Reindel, Luke Reindel, Emma Reindel and Chloe Wellman; a brother Rick (Cheryl) Briggs of Lewistown and special friends Brad, Zach, and Alec Elmquist.
Special thanks to our neighbors, the Armentrout families, for all their love and care the past 2 years during his illness.
The family will receive visitors from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, September 22nd, and again Wednesday, Sept. 23rd from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by the Memorial Service at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Kris Browning officiating at Bayliff & Son Funeral Home, Cridersville. Burial will follow the memorial service at Woodlawn Cemetery. A lunch will be provided by and at Shawnee Alliance Church after the burial.
Memorial contributions may be given to Cargingbridge.org or the Shawnee Alliance Church.