Jerry Wayne “JB” Briggs, 62 of Milton, West Virginia, was called home to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, August 17, 2026 following a short, unexpected illness.

Jerry will be most remembered for the love of his family. He was a loving, selfless husband to wife Jill, his high school sweetheart. Jerry and Jill met at band camp and became immediate friends. Over the next couple years that friendship grew into a storybook love that lasted for over 40 years.

Jerry was a very loving son. He tended to his mother in the nursing home almost daily and always had her concerns at the top of his list. Jerry was a loving father that provided great childhood memories, steady guidance, and was his kids biggest supporter. He was very proud of the men his boys, Luke and Cole, have grown up to be. The time he spent with his grandbabies was precious in his eyes. He could not get enough of them.

Jerry‘s love for family did not only include his immediate. He was there for his in-laws, Judy and Lebert Lucas, with any concerns they had. He loved his brother-in-law, Greg Rigsby, a friend for nearly 50 years. To the broader community, Jerry was the “newspaper man” for nearly 40 years. This career took Jerry and family locally to Elmira, New York, to Montgomery, Alabama, and finally, back home to West Virginia as the VP of Advertising for HD Media. There was nothing he enjoyed more than training and networking his sales team to help local businesses thrive and succeed. He served his community in many ways, including as a member of New Baptist Church, serving on the board of the United Way of the River Cities, teaching job preparation at the Huntington City Mission, helping with senior capstone projects at Wayne High School, and countless other efforts.

He enjoyed sharing his love of music, classic cars, how to grill the “perfect steak”, and Marshall University sports-especially football. Jerry was an avid collector because he loved “the art” of negotiation.

Jerry was a child of the late Evan V. Briggs and Rosa Lea (Persinger) Briggs of Milton, West Virginia. In addition to his mother, Jerry is survived his wife of nearly 41 years Angela “Jill” (Rigsby) Briggs; his sons, Jeremy Lucas “Luke” (Caroline) Briggs of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Gregory “Cole” (Caitie) Briggs of Saint Albans, West Virginia; the ones that called him ‘Pappy’- Milly and Bowen Briggs; his siblings James (Toni) Briggs of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Melody (Tim)Tilly of Oceana, West Virginia; nieces and nephews Peyton and Scotty, Erica (Josh), Rabeka and Kyleigh, Chris, Adam, and David.

Jerry was preceded in death by his father Evan Briggs, brother Jeff Briggs, nephew Blake Briggs, and granddaughter Clara Davis Briggs.

Visitation will be Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 11 AM at New Baptist Church at 610 28th St., Huntington with the eulogy by Trent Eastham at 12 noon. Interment will be at Spring Hill Cemetery at 1427 Norway Avenue in Huntington. Pallbearers are Cole Briggs, Luke Briggs, Greg Rigsby, Rocky Johnson, Joshua Lackey, and Kenny Phillips. Honorary pallbearers are Lebert Lucas, Buck Perry, and Gary Brunty.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charity that that was very dear to Jerry’s heart- Out of the Ashes WV. Donations can be made at https://givebutter.com/OOTAjerrybriggs

Please leave an online condolence for Jerry’s family on his guestbook