Donald F. Briney

Donald F. Briney, 98, of St. Joseph, MI, went to meet his Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, Monday, January 6, 2014 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Eternal will be held 11:00 A.M. Monday, at Zion Evangelical United Church of Christ, 3001 Veronica Dr., St. Joseph with Rev. Eric Thorsen officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery, St. Joseph with military rites conducted by the North Berrien Military Rites Team. Friends may call from 4:00 until 6:00 P.M. Sunday, with Elks Funeral Rites conducted at 6:00 P.M. at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Zion Ev. UCC or Berrien County Fairgrounds-American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Those wishing to sign Don’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Don was born December 5, 1915 in Coloma to Adam & Minnie (Palmer) Briney. He enjoyed the time spent working with his family on their fruit farm-Valley View Farm in Coloma. On September 15, 1940, he married the former Alice Schultz in St. Joseph. Don enlisted in the US Army and served his country during WWII as Corporal in the 234th Signal Pigeon Company. After the war, Don returned to St. Joseph and joined his brother-in-law at Schultz Roofing where he was employed as a foreman. In 1964, Don founded his own company-Briney Roofing-which he operated until his retirement in 1980. Don was preceded by his first wife Alice in 1970, and on April 15, 1972, married the former LaVerne Callender Moore in St. Joseph. Don was a member of Zion Evangelical United Church of Christ in St. Joseph where he served on the board of trustees and was active in the men’s brotherhood, a life-member of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Elks #541, where he served as Exalted Ruler in 1951. He was a very meticulous & detail oriented man and he used that discipline to tend to 100 of the most beautiful rose bushes around his home. In his younger years, Don enjoyed deer hunting with his father. He always has enjoyed following the Detroit sports teams, and most of all, the time spent with his family and friends. Don is survived by his daughters-Susan (Ed) Holda of Jerome, MI, Linda (Ken) Weber of Stevensville; step-children-Carol (Steve) Sizer of Harbert, MI, Brenda (Larry) Fish of Mesa, AZ, Bill (Mary) Moore of Vicksburg, MI; five grandchildren-Kurt (Carla) Holda, David (Tanya) Holda, Dana (John) Figurski, Michael (Corrie) Weber, Alison (Richard) Stachurski; nine great-grandchildren, and several step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In addition to his first wife Alice, he was preceded by his parents, his second wife LaVerne in 2000, his sister Mildred Schultz and his nephew Larry Schultz in 2013.