Jenifer Jean Briggs

Jenifer Jean Briggs, 89, Martha, passed away on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at Jackson County Memorial Hospital.  Celebration of Life services will be at 2:00 pm on Friday, December 22, 2023 at the First Presbyterian Church, Altus, Oklahoma under the care of Kincannon Funeral Home and Cremation Service.

Jenifer Jean Briggs was born March 10, 1934 in Arapaho, Custer County, Oklahoma.  Jenifer Jean Brown, known as JJ, was the oldest of two daughters born to Ivy Ruff Brown and Ina Mae Shankland.  With her sister Nancy Lee Brown, Jenifer grew up in the Arapaho and Clinton area graduating from Clinton High School in 1952.  She attended 2 years at Oklahoma A&M (OSU) in Stillwater and was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority.  Married to Michael S. Hopkins on August 26, 1956, she had her first son Mark Stephen Hopkins in Edmond on March 15, 1957.  Moving to the Oklahoma City area, Jenifer worked as a secretary for American First Title & Trust for 15 years.  She married Charles Laverne Connally (Chuck) on July 5, 1962 and had her second son Shaun Joseph Connally in El Reno on June 6, 1964.  Charles and Jenifer moved to Altus the next year and had her third son Charles Todd Connally (Todd) on August 28, 1965.  She was a mother and home maker until divorcing Chuck in 1973.  As a single mother, she worked as the Office Manager for the engineering firm Glenn Briggs & Associates.  Her spare time focused on the sons’ school activities, planting flower beds, and reading spy novels. Once her boys had left home, she married Glenn Briggs on August 31, 1986, and enjoyed 31 years of marital bliss.  Retiring from the engineering firm led to their happiest years harvesting pecans from the tree in the front and time around the pool in the back with Glenn’s grandchildren and grandson Ian Lane Connally.  For time near Mark and Todd’s families, they moved to Corpus Christi, Texas for a couple of years.  With declining health, they returned to the Altus area and lived with Jenifer’s son Shaun in Martha, OK.  After Glenn’s passing in 2018, she’s remained with her son Shaun.  Jenifer continued to keep close ties to Glenn’s oldest daughter Glenna of Weatherford, OK, and his youngest son Greg, wife Katie, and grandson Copper of Seattle WA.  Jenifer was a life-long Presbyterian.  As a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Altus, Jenifer served as Church Elder, Church Treasurer and Presbyterian Women’s Association Treasurer for eight years.  She taught Sunday School for a time and found most all her close friends within the church family.

Jenifer was preceded in death by her father, mother, and three husbands.  Jenifer is survived by son Mark Steven Connally with wife Tatyana Connally of Corpus Christi, TX; son Shaun Joseph Connally of Martha, OK, and grandson Ian Lane Connally with wife Andrea Connally and great granddaughter Genevieve Analise Connally of Stillwater, OK; son Charles Todd Connally with wife Kimberly Connally and step granddaughter Raven Encino of San Antonio, TX; and her sister Nancy Lee Blankenship with husband Jap Worth Blankenship of Oklahoma City, OK, niece Lisa Kay Connery of Norman, OK, grandniece Sara Connery of Kailua, HW, grandnephews Andrew Connery of Brooklynn, NY, and Matthew Connery of Oklahoma City, OK, and grandniece Hanna Connery of Los Angles, CA.

It can be said that Jenifer lived her life for love and family and grew in wisdom with both.  Early she sought the macho and was let down; then sought a dreamer who despaired in failure; but in the end found true happiness with a diligent, hardworking man that built a stable foundation for her in Jesus Christ, her rock and savior.

Online tributes may be made at kincannonfuneralhome.com.