Louise Sumlin Briggs - Submitted for the USGenWeb by Richard P. Sevier 3/14/11

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Louise Sumlin Briggs - Madison Parish, Louisiana 

From Baton Rouge Advocate, March 14, 2011

Louise Sumlin Briggs died Saturday, March 12, 2011, in Baton Rouge. She was 93, born in 
Simsboro on March 5, 1918. 

Visitation at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St., on Monday, March 14, from 5 p.m. 
to 8 p.m. Visitation at First Baptist Church, 529 Convention St., on Tuesday, March 15, 
from 1 p.m. until service at 2 p.m., with Dr. Doran Bugg officiating, assisted by the following 
ministers: Dr. Ferris Jordan, the Rev. Glynn Gardner and the Rev. Oren Conner. Interment in 
Roselawn Memorial Park. 

She is survived by a daughter, Dawn Briggs Pinkston and husband Edwin; grandson, Wynn Pinkston 
and wife Lori, of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; granddaughter, Amy Pinkston Odom and husband Darren, 
of Montgomery, Ala.; grandson, Joshua Pinkston, of Baton Rouge; and great-granddaughters, Georgia, 
Caroline and Annabelle Pinkston, of Kuala Lumpur. She is also survived by nieces and nephews, 
Frances Edwards, Melba Prater and husband Wendell, John Brister and wife Maureen, Sara Grommon 
and husband Les, of Issaquah, Wash., and Edward Sumlin, of Fort Worth, Texas; and numerous 
great-nieces and great-nephews. 

After graduating from high school in Rayville, Mrs. Briggs attended Louisiana Tech University for 
two years before becoming a Baton Rouge resident in 1938. She received a bachelor's degree from LSU, 
where she majored in home economics, agriculture and education. She became professionally established 
in institutional management and worked as an area supervisor for the National Youth Administration 
at the beginning of World War II. Christian ministry training at her church, First Baptist, led to 
her being actively engaged in mission work as a volunteer, which she continued over the years. Later, 
Mrs. Briggs married the Rev. Shirley Briggs, a Baptist minister, who also served as director of the 
Brotherhood of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and director of the LSU Baptist Student Union. In 
addition to their work with the Louisiana Baptist Convention, which consisted of pastoring and evangelism 
in St. Joseph, Tallulah and Ferriday, they also trained minority groups and pastors in Christian education 
and church structural organization throughout the Delta region of Louisiana. 

Following the death of Rev. Briggs, Mrs. Briggs returned to food service management at Natchez Regional 
Medical Center, and later at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in St. Gabriel. In every 
capacity of service she remained consistent as a prayer warrior and encourager. Pallbearers will be her 
grandson, Joshua Pinkston, and great-nephews, Jeff Brister, Mark Edwards, Terry Edwards, Kris Kubelka 
and Troy Prater. Honorary pallbearers are Russell Courville, Robert Hodges, Carlton Hudson and Larry Wilson. 

Memorials may be sent to the Louisiana Baptist Foundation, P.O. Box 311, Alexandria, LA 71309-0311, for 
the Shirley Briggs Memorial Scholarship for assistance to ministerial students at Louisiana College or 
the charity of your choice.