Kelly Sue Briggs, 60, of Clinton, Missouri passed away Wednesday morning, February 21, 2024 at the Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo., after a long battle with cancer. She was born January 11, 1964 in Clinton, Mo., the daughter of Clyde L. Briggs and Donna Faye (Mayer) Briggs. Kelly’s life was a testament to adventure, love, and a deep connection to the natural world.
Kelly graduated from Clinton High School in 1982. During her freshman year of college, she attended the University of Missouri-Columbia. Her passion for sports led her to transfer to William Jewell College during her sophomore year. While at Jewell, she was a member of the collegiate volleyball, basketball and softball teams. She graduated from Jewell in 1986 with a degree in Social Work.
After graduating college, Kelly returned to Clinton and was employed with the Missouri Department of Social Services in the Children’s Division, where she worked as an investigator and later transferred to become the adoption specialist for Henry County. After 21 years with the Children’s Division she was ready for a change and began employment at the Walmart Distribution Center in Harrisonville, Mo., where she worked until her disabling cancer diagnosis. Kelly needed to stay active, which led her to work a few hours a month at Jim Falk Motors, where she performed many different roles such as driving, greeting customers, watering flowers and watching the lot. She truly loved the Jim Falk Motors family.
Kelly enjoyed the world around her. Her passion for nature and travel was unmatched, particularly her fondness for visiting National Parks, where she reveled in the beauty of nature and the magnificence of wildlife. Whether she was hiking through towering forests, marveling at majestic waterfalls, or observing wildlife in its natural habitat, Kelly found peace and fulfillment in the embrace of the great outdoors. Her adventurous spirit extended to her love for hunting, whether it be for deer, mushrooms, or the treasures of nature such as turtle shells and deer sheds.
She is survived by her parents, Clyde and Donna Briggs; her sister, Stacy Pitts (Kevin); her nieces, Raegan Denae Cauthon (Nic), and Ryan Elizabeth Pitts (fiancé, Autin Gillund); as well as her great-niece, Ronni Jayne Cauthon; and great-nephew, Jase Isaiah Cauthon, all of Clinton, Mo; special friend, Sherri Albin; and dogs Roxy and Cici. She is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of friends whose lives she touched with her kindness. Kelly was welcomed into Heaven by her sister, Amy Lea Briggs; her maternal grandparents, David Lawrence and Susie Lake Mayer; and paternal grandparents, Roy and Mary Briggs.
Memorial graveside services were at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, February 24, 2024 at the Englewood Cemetery. The family received friends from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., prior to the graveside at the Bradley & Hadley Funeral Home, Clinton. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Golden Valley Memorial Hospital Foundation, to assist local families and cancer patients. These donations may be left in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left online at www.bradleyhadley.com. The family will honor Kelly by wearing clothing from her favorite National Parks.
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Hello, today we gather to honor and celebrate the life of Kelly, a daughter, sister, friend, and adventurer who touched many hearts.
First and foremost. mom, dad, & I want to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for being here to celebrate Kelly’s life. Your presence means the world to us, and your support and generosity throughout Kelly’s battle with cancer have been a source of strength for our family. We are immensely grateful to all the friends and relatives who have shown us love, sent prayers, fed us, and offered their support during this challenging journey. The grief of losing a sibling is incredibly tough but to bury a child is something I pray I never have to experience.
If I could give one word to describe Kelly, it would be adventurous. Growing up with Kelly was an adventure in itself. Kelly had an adventurous spirit that knew no bounds. From skateboarding or bicycling and later riding motorcycles through Clinton, Kelly was always on the move, embracing life with enthusiasm and fearlessness.
Our relationship as siblings was complex, as many are. We were as different as night and day. I was content with staying inside and watching television and singing commercials (which drove Kelly crazy), and she would rather be active and busy. Despite all our differences, as we grew older, we learned to respect, love, and accept each other for who we were.
Aside from the last four days, probably the greatest struggle my family has ever faced was when Kelly was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. Nine years ago, we started to refer to life as two parts: before cancer and after cancer. Throughout the past nine years, Kelly was a fighter and so very brave. She faced cancer with unwavering courage. Seeing first hand the struggles she had, it wasn’t easy for her. However I never heard her complain or outwardly show fear. She faced every day as an adventure and she chose to live her life to the fullest. I was fortunate to be a part of many adventures with Kelly and my mom and sometimes the girls, Raegan and/or Ry would join us. My travels and adventures with Kelly included traveling to 27 different states and 2 countries. You can bet, if there was a National or State Park nearby we were there. Kelly showed me the beauty of these adventures, and her spirit inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and embrace new experiences. She had me exploring and experiencing things I never would have done on my own, such as hiking Arches National Park in Moab Utah in July, climbing in caves at Crater of the Moon National Park in Idaho, touching icebergs, viewing volcanos and climbing behind waterfalls in Iceland, and boating through a jungle in Costa Rica, just to name a few. Each trip brought laughter and new memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Thank you mom and dad for providing the opportunity for these adventures to happen.
Aside from loving to travel, she loved my girls and would often refer to them as “her girls”. She was the aunt who would keep their secrets and provide a nonjudgmental listening ear. Her desire was for them to be happy. During one of her recent hospital stays when I spent the night with her, Ryan called me and was outwardly upset. I had her on speaker phone and Kelly who had been sleeping woke up during our conversation. She didn’t offer any advice but only said to Ry, “pray about it”. I thought, wow, that’s the best advice and I wondered why I hadn’t thought of that myself.
Kelly would oftentimes include my dad in some of her adventures. Whether it be getting on her roof to fix her antenna, cutting down a tree, fighting fires at her farm, or getting any advice she needed, he was there whenever Kelly called. Her faith in dad was unwavering, she believed dad could do and fix literally anything and she believed wholeheartedly that he was the smartest person she knew.
Mom, Dad, Raegan and I were fortunate to be able to spend Kelly’s last day here on Earth with her. On Tuesday morning, we were able to hear her final wishes before she made the courageous decision to cut off all treatments and peacefully transition to Heaven. She said,
I’m ready to go to Heaven”. She showed no fear and her strength and grace in the face of adversity are a testament to her incredible spirit and unwavering faith. She shared her last wishes and we all said our goodbyes as she was given medication to assist with the pain. At
5:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning she peacefully departed this world surrounded by her family.
Kelly’s last wishes were to be buried at Englewood cemetery beside our mother’s final resting spot. On Wednesday evening, arrangements for Kelly’s celebration of life were made. Due to unforeseen events, those plans, which were made based on Kelly’s wishes were changed, and she will unfortunately not be laid to rest at Englewood Cemetery. We do take comfort in knowing that her earthly body, that has been buried elsewhere, no longer serves a purpose for her because she has been transformed through Jesus Christ her Lord and Savior. To honor her final wishes, at this site we will place a memorial stone to honor her wishes for her final resting place.
As we celebrate Kelly’s life today, I take comfort in the knowledge that her spirit will live on in the memories we made together. Though she may no longer walk among us, I pray her adventurous spirit and bravery will continue to inspire us, guiding us through the adventures that lie ahead. Please help us to honor and remember Kelly by sharing memories you have about Kelly with us over the coming days, months and years as we navigate this new normal.
We mourn her loss but for Kelly I believe Wednesday was a Glorious Day. Revelations 21 :3 says, “And God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
I know Kelly would not want us to shed tears of sorrow but with happiness and gratitude for the time we were blessed to share with her. And as we bid her farewell, let us take solace in the knowledge that she has embarked on her greatest adventure yet!
As 2 Timothy says, ‘’You fought the good fight, you won the race, and kept the faith” Rest in peace, Kelly, we love you!
