Obituary of C. Clifford Briggs

C. Clifford "Cliff" Briggs, 90, of Monroe Township passed away on Thursday, February 2, 2017 at Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Born in Lyndhurst, he was raised in Plainfield and had lived in Edison and Freehold Township before moving to Monroe Township in 2009. Cliff was a proud U.S. Army veteran of World War II serving in the European Theatre. He also served his country in the Air Force National Guard. After selling his service station in Edison, Cliff became an Industrial Arts teacher for the Edison Township Board of Education. Cliff taught at Edison High School then Herbert Hoover Middle School until his retirement in 1987. In retirement, he was a substitute teacher at Monmouth County Vocational Technical School and a school bus driver. Cliff will be remembered by his Freehold neighbors as "The guy on the corner" who repairs lawnmowers. He was a parishioner and former trustee of the Ardena Baptist Church. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 522 and Clearbrook Protestant Fellowship, both of Monroe. Cliff loved automobiles, especially his 1965 Corvair, and was also a member of the Del Val Vairs. His passion for driving allowed him to travel and camp throughout the US. Cliff could always be found tinkering with wood-working, clocks or his gadgets. A man of God, he truly loved his family. He was predeceased by his wife, Christine Briggs; two sons, Clifford T. Briggs, Jr., and Stephen T. Briggs; a granddaughter, Chrise Briggs Murrell; a brother, Alton Redding Briggs; and a sister, Muriel Balkenberg-Mixon. Cliff is survived by his daughters, Joyce C. Daley of Rougemont, NC, and Jeannine Lanphear and her husband, Todd of Hightstown; ten grandchildren, Clifford R. Briggs and his wife, Stacey of Toms River, Anneliese Perez of Brick, Stephen T. Briggs, Jr. and his wife, Rachael of Waxhaw, NC, Todd Briggs and his wife, Vita of Freehold Township, Michele Alvarez and her husband, David of Northampton, PA, Thomas Daley and Kim Pedersen of Walnutport, PA, Christine Alvarez and Phil Lane of Bartlett, TN, Ryan Lanphear of Hightstown, and Elizabeth Lanphear of Hightstown; and fifteen great-grandchildren, Michael, Arianna, Katelyn, Jennifer, Andrew, Sophia, Natalie, Donna B., Elias, Leah, Kaylin, Cora, Thomas, Nathalia and Cowyn. A visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Sunday, February 5, 2017 from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the funeral home on Monday, February 6, 2017 at 10:30 AM for the procession to his 12:00 Noon funeral service at the Ardena Baptist Church, 593 Adelphia Road, Howell. Interment will follow in Ardena Cemetery. For those who desire, memorial contributions in Cliff's name may be made to Temple Health Institutional Advancement, c/o Katie Bettis, 3500 N Broad Street, 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19140. Please note in the memo line, "Heart and Vascular Institute Fund-Cliff Briggs" . For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.