Obit: Briggs, Otis R. (1873 - 1944)

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Surnames: Briggs, Kendall, Cunningham

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 11/30/1944

Briggs, Otis R. (10 Aug. 1873 - 28 Nov. 1944)

Otis R. Briggs, Colby optometrist, mayor of Colby for seven years and a prominent business man here for more than forty years, died at the Madison General Hospital at Madison, where he had been a patient for several weeks, on Tuesday morning at 4:30 o’clock at the age of 71 years.

Mr. Briggs was born on a farm in Portage county on August 10, 1873. He attended Almond High School, served three years as an apprentice in a drug store at Amherst and attended Dr. Sommers’ School of Pharmacy, Colby, after which he took the state board examination for assistant pharmacist. After two years, he took his final examination before the State Board of Pharmacy. He then attended St. Louis Optical College and also took a post-graduate course in optometry at Milwaukee. He returned to Colby in 1900 and erected a two-story building two years later and was active in the drug business until 1920 when he took a position as secretary of the Central Canning Company. Two years later, he resigned as secretary and opened an optometrist office and engaged in this profession until his illness and death.

He was married to Miss Maude Kendall on Oct. 11, 1898, at Packwaukee. Surviving are his wife, one daughter, Mrs. Edwin (Bernita) Cunningham, of Freeport, Ill., who was with him at the time of his death; a grandson; and a brother, U. S. Briggs, of Weyauwega.

Mr. Briggs was always interested in civic affairs, served as mayor of Colby for seven years and director of the Colby Graded School for nine years and held various offices in both the Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges. He was an honorable and useful citizen, a kind husband and father, a man who always endeavored to perform every duty - to God, his country, his family, his lodge, his neighbor and himself.

During his administration as mayor of Colby, he and his council accomplished many projects for the improvement of the city of Colby and benefit of the people; among which were the original park along the Soo Line, the white way and the com *** Note: The rest of the article was cut off and not available at the time of transcription.