Peggy Jean Briggs

March 11, 1950 - December 31, 2015

Peggy Jean Briggs was born March 11, 1950 in Council Bluffs, Iowa the daughter of Paul Rudolph and Erma (Umstot) Jenkins. She was raised in the Council Bluffs area and graduated from high school there. Peggy lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Frankfort, Kansas, Fremont, Nebraska and later Knoxville, Iowa. On May 19, 1991 she was united in marriage to Rodney Briggs. The couple lived in California until moving to Knoxville, Iowa in 1997. Peggy enjoyed raising plants and flowers and growing a vegetable garden. She canned many of the vegetables that she grew. She also enjoyed spending time with family and watching her grandchildren. She was an avid supporter of those in need and was a licensed foster care parent when she lived in the state of Nebraska. Peggy maintained a relationship with a number of those foster family members for many years after moving. Peggy passed away on Thursday, December 31, 2015 at the Knoxville Hospital and Clinics at the age of 65 years. She was preceded in death by her father and two sisters, Nikki Gordon and Victoria Jolley, a brother Eddie Jenkins and her daughter Kelly Sharp. Those left to cherish Peggy’s memory include her husband, Rodney; her children Shelly (Terry) DeGoey of Knoxville, Iowa, William (Melissa) Sharp of Fremont, Nebraska and Wendy (Brad) Howard of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and special daughter Amber Schmidt of Des Moines, Iowa, 7 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; her mother, Erma (Frank) Lodl of Morse Bluff, Nebraska, her brother, Joe (Christine) Jenkins of Council Bluffs and her sister, Nola (Dana) Vietor of Texas, Foster Daughters Raquel and Tonya as well as many other family members and friends. The family would like to extend their appreciation to the Knoxville Area Community Hospital and its staff for taking care of Peggy during her illness.