Obituaries: Richard Briley III, 1963, Winn Parish, La.
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: December 22, 1963, Winn Parish Enterprise News-American

Richard Briley, Local Writer, Dies At 73

Richard Briley III, newspaperman and writer who liked to describe the
excitement in life, died Sunday following surgery two weeks ago for stomach
cancer.

In his 73 years, Briley learned a lot about people and once commented he
believed in writing what people wanted to read.  Recently, he spent enormous
amounts of time preparing a volume in which he listed 12,000 tombstone
inscriptions taken from Winn cemeteries.  The book will yet be published. 
This work, he said, was his response to public interest in genealogical
matters.

Briley was once a reporter on Chicago and Detroit newspapers.  He turned to
freelancing for newspapers and magazines.   While in Detroit and Chicago, he
wrote under the Federal Writers Program and was chief writer in preparing a
guide for the State of Michigan.  He also was a radio script writer there.  He
was drafted in World War II defense work writing technical specifications.

Later in Denver, Colorado, he was editor of Western Voice, a religious weekly. 
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, he wrote radio scripts for Evangelist Billy James Hargis
and was a syndicated contributor to the Salvation Army Magazine "Warcry".  He
was amused with politics and even ghost wrote speeches for campaigners.  His
"Death of the Kingfish" paperback book dealt with the end of Huey Long.

In recent years, Briley turned to the historical lore of Central Louisiana.
First off, he turned out a paperback guide of Central Louisiana and then dug
into the legends and facts of the West and Kimbrell Clan, a band accused of
outlawism during Reconstruction days.  His account of their activities were
published in a paperback called "The Nightriders".  On a pine tree in Atlanta,
Briley nailed a board proclaiming that it was near the spot where John West's
gang was rounded up and killed on order of President U. S. Grant.

Briley lived the past few years with his wife at 418 West Main Street,
Winnfield.  He displayed an extreme interest in community churches, their
people, and their histories.

Hardly a church or family reunion, singing convention, or homecoming came
without his presence.  Generally he brought back film and stories for the
papers.

His activities and looks deceived his age.  Most people who saw him daily
thought he was about 10 to 15 years younger than his 73 years.  Quick witted,
he was jovial to the end.  His knack for sizing up situations large and small
spiced a personality that made friends easily.  He knew what made life tick.

Tuesday morning, Briley was buried at Couley Church, 17 miles west of
Winnfield in the heart of the country he loved and not far from his boyhood
home.

His survivors include his wife, Mrs. Ida Martin Briley; two sisters, Mrs. W.
P. Luther, Montgomery, and Mrs. Odes Fletcher, Detroit; four nieces and
nephews.  Funeral services were held in the Laurel Heights Baptist Church
with the Rev. C. C. Martin and Rev. Clarence Brooks officiating.

Burial under the direction of Southern Funeral Home was in Couley Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers were Asa Martin, Bryan Kelley, Donald Kelley, Bill
Berry, Dick Watts, Wayne Luther.  Honorary pallbearers were Ben Price, H. B.
Bozeman, Lloyd Harrison, P. C. Lang, and Ben Peters.