Roger Lyle Briscoe

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, August 4, 2023, at 1 PM, at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, in Kansas City, Missouri.

Roger was born April 2, 1939, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Arthur Luther and Doris Pearl (Smith) Briscoe. He grew up in the Rosedale area of Kansas City, Kansas, and graduated from Rosedale High School. Until the last two years of his life, Roger remained active in attending the regular dinner gatherings of his Rosedale Class of 1957 as he valued his lifelong childhood friends. A veteran of the U.S. Navy Squadron AS-4, he very proudly served on the USS Princeton and USS Yorktown from 1957 to 1960. Roger often wore his commemorative naval ball caps, t-shirts, and insignia rings to honor those years and was delighted when someone would acknowledge his service with a thank you or picking up his restaurant tab.

He married Diane Hulet in 1960 with whom he fathered his only son Roger William “Bill” Briscoe in 1964. Together, Roger and his second wife Billie (Wilson) of 26 years were faithful worshippers of Jesus Christ and last attended Community Covenant Church in Overland Park until Billie’s passing in 2005.

Roger retired from National Starch after 42 years as a tin smith and later as an oiler, maintaining the factory’s processing plant. His companion pets were much beloved throughout his life, especially Shammy the Poodle, Teddy the Bichon and Mitzi the Calico. He enjoyed fishing, golfing, and his extensive collection of country music even recording himself singing to his favorite tunes. Watching the KC Chiefs and the KC Royals play was another of his favorite pastimes, often becoming quite vocal about their performances on the field. For nearly fifteen years he enjoyed a weekly breakfast at his local café where he was known by name. He lived at Sunrise Senior Living in Leawood, Kansas, for three years. He so frequently was found waving at passersby on the street corner that the adjacent JC Nichols realty company employees collectively recognized him with an award for contributing positivity to their neighborhood, for which, subsequently, an article was written in the local newspaper. He then resided at Sunrise Senior Living in Lenexa, Kansas, where he never missed an opportunity to visit the pond and count the geese and turtles in Sar-Ko-Par Park next door. Roger vocalized times when he was happy, singing loudly a bar or two of Hank Williams’ “Jambalaya” or the classic “Red River Valley” as he wheeled about the halls in his mobility chair.

Roger is survived by his son Bill and granddaughters Claire and Raine of Kansas City, Missouri, his brother Richard Briscoe of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, stepdaughter Karen Elizabeth of Overland Park, Kansas, and her children Joseph Igla of Vancouver, Washington, Paul Igla of Belton, Missouri, and Kimberly Igla of Kansas City, Missouri, stepdaughter Anne Clinton of Phoenix, Arizona, and her son Joshua Bradley.