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Posted by Pene Hutton

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

The Rotary Club of Greater Jamestown AM lost a good Rotarian and friend on Friday, October 2, 2020.  Ross William "Bill" Briggs passed away after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.  Ever the one for a Rotary meeting, Bill allowed us time to be with him in his home in the weeks leading up to his death.  As should have been expected our much-loved club clown kept his humor - wanting to keep our spirits up. 
 
Among the many ways he served, Bill along with Tim (who we lost on Mount Kilamanjaro a year ago to mountain sickness) manned the turkey fryers for our annual football party fundraiser for years - a day long effort.  Many a ticket was sold just to enjoy the fried turkey! 
 
Bill had an amazing influence on all who were privileged to know him, and there are many.  Friends flew in from across the nation and made calls from all over the world to have one more conversation and to say goodbye.  How fortunate we were to have him in our Rotary club.   Bill Briggs - an everyday guy with an enormous heart; you won't be forgotten.
 
Much of his obituary is posted here.
 
 
Bill graduated from Maple Grove High School in 1971 (Bemus Point, NY) and Baldwin Wallace College in 1975, with a degree in business administration, where he served as president of his senior class. He was employed by Cleveland Trust Bank until his uncle, Arlon Shick enticed him in 1976 to join Chautauqua Brick Company. Bill took the family business from brick, block and stone cutting to five retail lumber and hardware locations, becoming president in 1979. In 1984, he joined ENAP (later LBM), a buyers co-op, where he served as chairman of the board and chairman of National Accounts. Here he forged many business relationships and friendships.
 
In addition to being one of its charter members, Bill had served as vice-president, chair of both Youth Exchange and The Rotary Foundation.  Bill was a two-time Paul Harris Fellow.  For two decades, he served on the Allegany Highland Boy Scout Council Board and as finance director.
In his earlier years, he served as a Bemus Point Village Board trustee, deputy mayor and lifetime member of the Bemus Point Fire Department. He was one of the founders of BAYSO, which led him to becoming a NYSPHS and FIFA soccer official and past president of Bemus Point Little League.
 
Bill loved his Sportsmen’s Club where he forged many friendships over the years and looked forward to his Friday night meal with the guys and a healthy serving of meat. He was a 30 plus year member of “Cabin” where he dazzled many with his square dancing prowess. He was a member of the Ellicottville Ski Club.
 
One of Bill’s greatest joys was watching his sons play sports, particularly football. He liked to tell people he was the equipment manager/trainer for Maple Grove football for his four sons’ teams.
 
Bill will forever be remembered for his quick wit and clever sense of humor, which helped him co-host a Saturday AM radio show with “Contractor Bob”.
 
Bill is survived by his wife, Judy (Kojm) whom he married in 1979; his brother, Rob (Linda) Briggs of Lakewood, N.Y.; four sons: Nathan (Jenny) Briggs of Bemus Point, N.Y., Jon (Audrey) Briggs of Bay Village, Ohio, Peter (Hanna) Briggs of Bemus Point, N.Y., and Stephen Briggs of Bemus Point, N.Y.; as well as seven grandchildren: Jack, Annie, Henry, Barrett, Luke, Grant and Claire Briggs and a baby girl on the way.