Like many previous Friday Finds, today’s item comes from the notebook of BRILES items given to me by fellow researcher, Mildred Barby. This item is the obituary for Max M. Briles, author of a Briles genealogy.
Wednesday, July 24, 1985
The Coffey County Reporter page 7Memorial services for Max M. Briles was held on Saturday, July 20 11:00 a.m. in The First Christian Church in LeRoy and were conducted by Rev. Aaron McCombs, assisted by Rev. Jay Scribner of Branson, Missouri and rev. John F. Briles of Visalia, California.
Virginia Burcham and Jane Rolf sang, “It is Well with My Soul,” and “Joy Comes in the Morning,” accompanied by Virginia Burcham.
Rev. Scribner read from II Timothy and I Corinthians 10:13. He left us with this theme to comfort and challenge us. Max was confident and committed to the Lord’s work and had a crown laid up for him which he would lay at the Saviour’s feet.
One of Max’s favorite scriptures was “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of excape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
The casket bearer’s were: Jerry Murray; Dennis Crotts; Charles Nickel; Kerry Trostle, George Arnold and Ben Barabas. Interment was in the Crandall cemetery.
Max was born and reared in the Crandall Community and died at the Kansas University Medical Center July 17, 1985, at the age of 66 years, 11 months and 17 days. He left the community to work in the Boeing Defense Plant during the war. It was here he met and married Mildred Lucille Ross to which there were born 3 children; Gene, Diane and Wayne who passed away at the age of 16.
The family lived in San Bernardino, California where Max worked as a machinist in the Sante Fe Diesel Shops for 35 years. They built their home there, but sold it in 1978 upon Max’s retirement.
They spent several month traveling around the United States in their camper before deciding upon a home in Branson, just over-looking Lake Tanneycoma. It was a beautiful country but Max longed to come back to the community where he grey up as a boy.
About two and one-half years ago they bought the old Alexander Briles home in the Crandall area that has been vacant for many years. This was a challenge to renovate the old Briles family home, which had been his great-uncle’s.
Max was staunchly supported by his wife Mildred in this endeavor to make this their home. Just last winter they completed a big fireplace that heated the entire 2-story house.
But the greatest monument, he has left is in the hearts of the people. Many have been touched by his life. HIs talents seemed to have no limits, for as he gave himself to others his talents were increased over and over. He was a faithful Gideon, faithful to all the meetings and the giving away of God’s word. He loved his Lord first and never tired of telling those he met, what the Lord had done for him.
HIs contacts with people were many as a result of writing the Briles Genealogy, supported by Mildred. Because of religious persecution our forefathers left with 20 German Lutheran families in 1717. They came to England and because their supplies ran low; they became indenture servants in order to reach America. But because of a storm they came to the shores of Virginia instead of Pennsylvania. IN 1740 the Hebron Church in Virginia was built as a monument to their endeavor to their heroism. The church still stands and Mas and Mildred visited some relatives there in their travels. He was an enthusiastic vital person who felt life was more thrilling and fuller at 66 than all the previous passing eyars.
Those who are left to mourn his passing are his wife Mildred of the home; a son Gene and wife Jeanie of Loveland, Colorado and daughter Diane and husband Stan Jorgenson. There are three grandchildren, Becky and Eric Briles and Kimberly Jorgenson of Livermore, California.
The brother and sister who will greatly miss him are: Rev. John F. Briles, Visalia, California; Maybelle Harold, LeRoy, Kansas; Betty Langshaw, Kansas City, Missouri and Virginia Mitchell, Dewey, Oklahoma.
