Obituary: Briggs, Grace Merrill
Age 84
BRIGGS, Grace Merrill
1928-2012
Our beloved mother,
grandmother, great-
grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on August 21, 2012, after a long battle with age-related illness.
Grace’s children were with her at the time of her passing.
Grace was born on May 10th, 1928 in Pocatello, Idaho, the fourth of four children born to Alma Lowell Merrill and Gladys Garr.
Grace grew up in Pocatello and left home in 1946 to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
She graduated in 1950, majoring in English with a French language minor.
After graduating she received a degree from LDS Business College and then began work for the Richards and Bird Law Firm in Salt Lake City.
While working in Salt Lake City she met her future husband and eternal companion, Garth Thorley Briggs, and they were married in 1951 in the LDS Temple in Salt Lake City.
After supporting Garth through dental school at the University of Washington, they chose to move their small family to Spokane, Washington, to set up practice in 1958.
Their family grew as did Garth’s dental practice.
Grace was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was a wonderful example during her life of faith, love and service to others.
She held several teaching and leadership callings in the LDS church serving in the women’s, youth, children and other programs.
She and Garth were called to serve in the first LDS Spokane Temple Presidency.
They also served a mission for the church in 1991-92 in the Washington D.C. temple.
Grace had diverse interests, but her life’s work was demonstrated through her love and support of her husband and their family.
She was known to her family and to others as a person who was their friend and always made them feel better about themselves.
Even as her illness intensified, she always expressed more concern for others than for her own welfare.
Grace is survived by her children, Anabel Hansen (Eric), Paul (Kaye), Laurie (Bean), Jeff (RoseMarie) and Craig (Tamara) and her 22 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Grace is preceded in death by her husband Garth in 2009, her brothers, Garr and Wesley Merrill, her sister, Ruth Fullenwider, and her granddaughters, Jordan and Jessica.
Grace lived such a full and Christ-like life.
She was a friend and a blessing to all who knew her.
She will be missed, but we know she is happy and with her eternal companion.
The family would also like to thank the staff of Horizon Hospice and their wonderful nurses and aides for their tender, kind care of our mother during this trying time.
Services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Green Bluff Chapel, 5302 E. Green Bluff Road, on Saturday, August 24th, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 am to 10:40 a.m. previous to the service.
Grave dedication will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Please visit Grace’s memorial and sign her online guestbook at www.hennessyfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to: