Rupert Irvin Briggs

Rupert Irvin Briggs of Lake Elsinore, CA entered into eternal life at the age of 86 on April 12, 2017. He was born during a snow storm in Porter, Indiana on March 5, 1931 to Urbin J. Briggs and Rose L. Schlobohm. Rupert was preceded in death by his great-grandson, Brayden Quinn Baker, who passed on December 24, 2008. He is survived by His wife of 61 years, Caroline W. Briggs, six children Carolyn Decker (Tim), Marshall Briggs (Carolyn), Irvin Briggs (Lori), Lee Briggs, Rose Martinez (Johnny) and Cindy Spolerich (Steve), 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Upon leaving the United States Army on November 12, 1957, Rupert and Caroline settled in Farmington, New Mexico where they lived, worked and raised their family for 8 years. While there he worked for Lennox Heating and Air Conditioning, was Captain of the City of Farmington Fire Department, he also held many side jobs on the weekends. The next 51 years were spent in Sunny California. There he worked as a machinist and retired from the Long Beach Naval Shipyard. It was during this time that he started his own sheet metal business in his backyard. The business grew and he became a leader in his industry of commercial metalwork in Southern California. His business evolved from hanging rain gutter to creating copper artwork adorning homes and businesses. Many business owners would come to him with an idea and he would make it happen with his tenacity, ingenious mind and other amazing God-given skills. To anyone who met him two things were immediately evident: his enormous hands and physical strength. However, those who knew him well would say that his truest strengths were internal: his boundless generosity, his rock-solid faith, and his deep and abiding love for his wife. He fought the good fight, he finished the race, he kept the faith. Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend, he will be greatly missed by all until we reunite in heaven.

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