William Ross Briggs

William (known to his friends as Will or Bill) Ross Briggs died on July 16, 2022 after a short malignancy related illness. William was born in San Antonio, Texas on September 23, 1946. His father was Ross N. Briggs, and his mother was Frances L. Stovall Briggs. He was preceded in death by his parents and his younger sister Mary Frances Conner and her husband, Dennis. He is survived by his partner Karen Davidson and by his brothers, Truett (Henrietta), Thomas (Judy), and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School where he was the editor of the school newspaper, The Declaration. He then attended San Antonio College and graduated from UT Austin in 1970 majoring in mechanical engineering.

In 1972 he moved to Arlington, Virginia to take a position with U.S. Patent Office, where he worked as a patent examiner until retiring in 2003. He moved back to Texas, eventually settling in Lago Vista.

William loved to be outdoors--camping, hiking, and learning. He took long trips to watch the sun eclipse or to celebrate Thanksgiving with his Sierra Club friends in Big Bend National Park. He was an exceptional guitar and banjo player and shared that talent with the Lago Vista Bluegrass group as they played regularly at local retirement homes. His bass voice added strength to the Lakeside Singers and the Hill Country Singers. He was a board member of the Hill Country Singers and his engineering skills helped create stage equipment that solved many problems. He also played his guitar while the choir sang "This Land is Your Land" for one of the concerts. His poetry was wise and meaningful as we gathered with his book club. "Uncle Bill" was a favorite of the family children bringing fun and joy to our gatherings.

About three years ago, William met Karen Davidson. She brought joy and love into his life, and they enjoyed their time together. She lived in Marfa and he spent much of his time with her. They enjoyed being together and traveling together. She was with him at the end. His family and friends are grateful for Karen.

He left this world much too soon and will be sorely missed. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sierra Club, The Nature Conservancy or a charity of your choice. A gathering to remember him will be announced.