We were never allowed to call my grandfather anything other than "Bobby" because it made him feel too old. And Bobby stayed young in the ways that it mattered. He was always quick with the one-liners and you always had to be on your toes around him, or you might find yourself the butt of his jokes.

When I ran cross country and track in high school and college, Bobby made sure to keep my ego in check. "I promise you," he'd say, "if you put a 20 dollar bill at the finish line, I'll beat you to it every time." I never doubted he wouldn't.

Bobby loved his job. Even long after he retired from managing Briggs Auction, he attended the weekly Friday sales, holding court in the back room and even overseeing the occasional absentee bids. Once, when he happened to be sitting in the path of our rolling auctioneers stand, someone yelled out, "hey, look out for the old guy!" Bobby thought this was hilarious. He embraced this saying and it became a punch line for him, a way to announce his arrival: "Look out for the old guy!" When his declining health prevented him from attending the auction on Friday nights, his absence was immediately noted. Every Friday night, without fail, customers ask me about my grandparents. "How's Bobby? Tell him I said hello and I'm thinking about him." It was clear that he was loved.

I will treasure many different moments shared with Bobby, but I think what I will remember most is his laugh, the way he threw his head back and closed his eyes when he found something especially funny. It was like his whole body shook with laughter. That is how I would like to remember him, as someone who took that much pleasure in life. Bobby was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend, and he will be missed by anyone who was ever the butt of his jokes or a witness to his laughs.

- Laura Turner Igoe

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Robert J. "Bobby" Briggs, beloved husband of 63 years to Gail Mooney Briggs, and father of Janice Briggs Turner and William J. Briggs, died Wednesday, November 9th at the age of 86, surrounded by his loving family. Mr. Briggs has resided the past 35 years in Bethel Twp., previously residing in Media, PA.

As the patriarch of Briggs Auction, located across from the Booth's Corner Farmer's Market in Garnet Valley, PA, Mr. Briggs was responsible for growing the business into one of the premier auction houses in the tri-state area.

A graduate of Bartrum High School, Mr. Briggs grew up in West Philadelphia before enlisting in the army at age 18. He served during World War II as part of the 278th Field Artillery Battalion, and participated in the August 29th, 1944 landing on Utah Beach in Normandy France. He was an integral part of Patton's Army march through France and Germany.

Upon his return from the war, Mr. Briggs married his grade-school sweetheart, Gail Mooney in 1948. He worked as a mechanic for French’s Mustard in Philadelphia, afterwards he entered the family business, Brigg’s Auction. Together, he and his wife Gail grew this established auction into a weekly, local institution with estate auctions held every Friday evening. He was a great judge of people and character, and his long-time association with lawyers and trust officers across the tri-state area is the result of his dedication to honesty and integrity in all aspects of his personal and business conduct.

Mr. Briggs was an avid tennis player, antiques collector, animal lover and Philadelphia sports fan, and was a long-time member of St. John's Episcopal Church in Concordville, PA. He and Gail were also regulars at various Saturday night dance spots, including the Hideaway, Unionville Inn, and the Brown Derby. He was famous for quipping that "there are only so many Saturday nights" if Gail requested to spend the evening at home instead! He will be sadly missed by his family and friends, especially his grandchildren & great grandchildren who lovingly referred to him as “Bobby”.

Mr. Briggs is survived by his wife Gail, children Janice B. Turner of Chadds Ford and husband John, and William J. Briggs II and wife Tanya of North Wilmington, DE; sister Mildred Gray of Maris Grove; 6 grandchildren: Melissa Briggs Leo, Jessica Ann Briggs Culver, Laura Gail Turner Igoe, Stephen Robert Turner, Brittany Ruth Briggs, and Brandon D. Gooding; and 4 great grandchildren: Emma Gail Leo, Brian Austin Culver, Lucas Robert Culver, and Caden Gooding.

Donations in Bobby’s memory may be made to either St. John’s Episcopal Church at the above address or the Maris Grove Resident Care Fund, Attn. Barbara Burri, 200 Maris Grove Way, Glen Mills, PA 19342