Frances Lee Cooper Briggs

1940 - 2024

Frances Lee Cooper Briggs was born in Temple, Texas on May 6, 1940. After experiencing a stroke, she died on Dec. 8, 2024, surrounded by her family. After her birth, the family moved to Taylor, thence to Marlin where she started school. The family moved to Electra when Frances was in second grade and lived there until she was 16, returning to Marlin where she graduated from high school. Frances (Fran) attended North Texas State College for a year-and-a-half before transferring to The University of Texas. While at UT she was active at the YMCA-YWCA during the years when there was a lot of student activity on behalf of integration. It was at the Y that she met her future husband Rambie Briggs.

At the University of Texas she was chosen a member of the service organization Orange Jackets and of Mortar Board, a national honor society. She graduated with honors with a B.A. degree in 1961. In 1963 she married Rambie Le Briggs. A son, Jonathan Rambie, was born in Houston in 1965 while Fran was earning her M.Ed. at the University of Houston and teaching middle school in Pasadena. In 1966, after Rambie graduated from Baylor College of Medicine, the family moved to San Francisco where their daughter Paula Anne was born. They lived for two years in San Francisco before going with the USAF to Tehran, Iran. In 1971 they returned to San Francisco for three more years while Rambie finished his internal medicine training. In 1974 the Briggs returned to Texas, first to Temple for 3 years and then to Austin for the next 23 years.

Fran taught school in the early years but after moving to Austin, she spent her time in volunteer work with the Congregational Church of Austin, Austin Metropolitan Ministries, and Texas Impact. During this time she earned an M.A. in Human Services at St. Edward's University. She also served on the board of Eden Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri and on the board of Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi. In 1991, she moved with her husband to Lago Vista and spent many years enjoying lake life. She sang with the Hill Country Singers and in church choirs. She also took up the clarinet again and enjoyed playing with Rambie on the accordion. Fran loved reading, painting, writing poetry, and gardening. She was especially proud of working on a junior gardening program at Lago Vista Elementary School and on maintaining the school garden.

She is survived by husband of 61 years, Rambie Le Briggs, her son Jonathan Rambie Briggs, granddaughter Margit Francis Briggs, daughter, Serenity Owens (FKA Paula Anne Briggs Fracasso), grandson, Giovanni Cooper Fracasso, granddaughter, Stella Nicolina Fracasso, and niece, Dea Celeste Briggs.

A memorial service will be held on Jan. 11, 2 p.m., at Rolling Hills Community Church, 6201 Lohman Ford Rd. Lago Vista, TX. As Fran wished, inurnment will take place in the spring at the Briggs Family plot in the cemetery of Old Rock Baptist Church in Somerset, TX. Memorial contributions may be made to Back Bay Mission, 1012 Division Street, Biloxi, MS 39530. thebackbaymission.org or to a charity of your choice.