OBITUARY

 

 

     Eli Briggs Jr., also known as Junior or Beedie, passed away on October 30th, 2025 at Peconic Bay Medical Center. He was 89 years old.

     Eli was born in Gunnison, Mississippi, on March 1, 1936 to Katie Lee Hall and Eli Briggs Sr.  While growing up he attended Eastern Star Missionary Baptist Church in Malvina, Mississippi, and later attended Bob Woods School in Gunnison, Mississippi.  After his schooling, he went to work, landing at HB Ward BOCES as their Lead Custodian, where he retired in 1997 after over 20 years.

     He was married to his wife, Rose Mary Cole for 62 years, they had 14 children and raised 12 of them (two of them passed at birth).  He was baptized into Christ in 1974 by Walter Maxwell.

     Eli had many gifts to share, none greater than his gift of conversation.  No matter where he went, he could find someone to talk with or something to talk about, even going out into the street could turn into a six hour event.

He had many hobbies and likes, but the favorite was fishing.  He enjoyed sports, baseball (loved watching and rooting for the Dodgers) and boxing.    He was a jack of all trades, and loved driving around Riverhead, meeting up and telling his witty stories and jokes.  While raising his children, he was known as the KING of the Greens, because of his watching over what was going on, keeping his eye on the children, giving advice, helping the youth to steer away from trouble and if trouble found them, he was there to help them straighten things up.  He was a father, uncle, friend and mentor to the whole community.  In recent years, he became the face of the Dashan J. Briggs Memorial Foundation.

     Eli was predeceased by his siblings, Lucille McDaniel Clardy, Jonathan “Joe” McDaniel, James McDaniel, Alberta McDaniel Hill, Benjamin McDaniel, Rebecca Briggs Harris, Daniel Briggs, Harvey Drummer and Freddie Drummer. Also, by his son, John D. Fryar, and his grandson, Dashan Briggs.

      Left behind to grieve his loss are his wife, Rose Mary, his children Mary Bovan of Illinois, Patricia Briggs of Florida, Delores Foster of Florida, Marvin of Riverhead, Gregory Sr. of Riverhead, Vincent Sr. of Riverhead, Darius of Riverhead, and Jeremie of Riverhead; and by many grandchildren.  Also, by his siblings, Modesta “Wilma” Flore and Herdia Drummer.