Sophia Jane PULLEY BRIGGS

Sophia
Oct 30, 1913
Jan 15, 2015

Leonard
May 1, 1913
Jun 16, 1988

Sophia Jane (Pulley) Briggs, daughter of the late Mack and Deanie Pulley, was born on October 30, 1913, in Mammoth Springs, AR, and departed this life on January 15, 2015 at Kabul Nursing Home, Cabool, MO. She was 101 years, 2 months and 16 days young.
Sophia was raised on a rural farm in Mammoth Springs with a family of five brothers and five sisters. It was here she accepted the Lord into her life at the Church of Christ. She was a homebody who loved being surrounded by her family and loved ones. On June 26, 1936, she married Leonard Briggs at Simmons, MO. This union lasted 52 years before Leonard’s death in 1988. Two daughters were born to the couple, Modene and Barbara.
In 1942, the family moved to the Mt. Pisgah community outside Cabool, MO, where they operated a dairy farm. They joined the Mt. Pisgah Church and were members for many years. Sophia was very involved with the Mt. Pisgah Ladies Aid and particularly enjoyed quilting. She also taught Sunday school and many of her former pupils continue to be active in local churches today. Singing hymns was also a source of great joy, from the Briggs’ Family Quartet, where the family performed together, to the Mt. Pisgah Quartet where Leonard and she sang with their good friends, Floyd and Wilma Walls. She had a beautiful alto voice that always rang out in the choir. Eventually, they moved to town and during their later years they attended the Cabool Free Will Baptist Church. During these years many hours were spent volunteering at the Cabool Senior Center and watching St. Louis Cardinal Games.
Sophia devoted a great amount of time to her grandchildren, teaching them card games, reading to them, preparing them meals, giving piano lessons, and she was famous for curing each grandchild’s ailments with their own special dish. Her Bible was filled with newspaper clippings and photographs of their accomplishments and she never forgot a birthday, even as there were great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her brothers: Delbert, Sherman, Ernest, Clint and Austin; her sisters: Susie, Annie, Ora, Alta, and Dorothy; one grandson, Terry Hobbs and one granddaughter, Lorna Gay Tate.
She is survived by her daughters: Modene Smith and Barbara Tate, both of Cabool; her grandchildren: Jeri Welch of Houston, MO, Lana Brown and husband Shawn of Houston, MO, Barry Tate and wife Phaedra of Fair Play, MO, Brad Tate and wife Caren of Springfield, MO, Sandy Cremer of Houston, MO and Stacey VanNatta and husband, Clint of Willard, MO; Great-grandchildren: Cory Clark, Megan VanNatta, Brigg Pierson, Melanie Welch, Ashten Holman, Kendra Welch, Preston Tate, Sydney Cremer, Celina Tate, Jonathan Tate, Shelby Cremer, Mackenzie Tate, Kylee Tate, Brett Cremer, Colton Tate, Justin Brown and Shelby Brown; Great-great grandchildren: Lauren, Bryson, Kaily, Kyran, Aubree and Lyla; sisters-in-law: Faye Pulley and Esther Faye Bridges both of Springfield, MO, in addition to many nieces, nephews and friends at Pine view Heights and Landmark Villa.
We were blessed beyond measure with her loving kindness and giving heart. She will be greatly missed, but we are rejoicing that we will meet her again on the heavenly shore.

Contributed on 4/1/15 by mjrwag
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Record #: 767554

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