Lois Sylva Brigman

Lois Mary Sylva Brigman passed away late in the evening on Tuesday 1/25/11 at the age of 89. She was born in Honolulu, HI on June 19, 1921 and was the oldest of four daughters of Joseph Sylva and Ruth Albright Sylva. While both parents are deceased, Lois is survived by her sisters Peggy Tharp, Dorothy Smith, and Joan Richter, her children Paul Brigman, Jr., Joe Brigman, and Melissa Brigman Seats married to Phil, her grandchildren Whitney Brigman Heard married to Bill, Brack Brigman married to Emilee, Abby Seats, Lizzie Seats, and John Seats, and her great grandchildren Hamer Brigman, Bo Brigman, Wills Heard, and Lucy Heard.

Lois Sylva grew up living between homes in Honolulu and the family ranch in Mokuleia, HI. She was a tomboy that loved riding horses and playing with her sisters. Her father was a Territorial Senator in Hawaii, but died when she was still in high school. She finished grade school at the Punahou School, and went on to California to attend Stanford University. At her mother’s request, she studied pre-law, but was truly miserable in that curriculum.

Around 1940, Lois was home in Hawaii and attended a gathering that included locals and soldiers stationed in Hawaii. It was at this party that she met Paul Brigman, who was stationed there trying to become an Army pilot. They dated awhile, then she left for Palo Alto, California to return to school. As it turned out, Paul was transferred into an engineering unit, was also sent to California, and even took some engineering courses at Stanford. Meanwhile, Lois had changed her major to Nursing and found that she loved it.

Her mother and sisters were all in Hawaii when Pearl Harbor was attached and the US entered World War II. Whether true or not, Lois said that the sisters talked about climbing on the roof to watch the planes practice maneuvers, as they had no idea it was battle. While the family was fine, Lois continued her education during the war. She often said that she loved school because she got to do so much more nursing than students normally would, since most licensed nurses were being taken by the military. Near the end of the war, she and Paul married in San Francisco, where she was living and working in a hospital as part of her student training.

After the war, Lois and Paul lived in Hawaii while Paul trained as a stockbroker with the Hawaiian Trust Company. This lasted only a short time, as Paul had always wanted to study medicine, so they packed up and moved back to Paul's hometown, High Point. Paul attended High Point College for a year and transferred to UNC Chapel Hill where he finished college and became a part of the first four year medical school class at UNC. Lois got positions as a nurse to help support the family that now included son Paul. One of her jobs that she really liked was at the campus infirmary, where she helped with medical needs of the athletic programs and other students.

In 1954, the family moved to Allentown, PA for Paul's internship after medical school. Lois' mother was from this area, so she had Albright family members around that helped with Paul Jr. and new son Joe. A year later, the family moved back to High Point where Paul began a general medical practice with Bo Averett. Soon after, daughter Melissa was born. Lois worked at High Point Hospital and for Paul's new practice until she left to become a housewife, gardener, and outdoorswoman, passions that she followed for the rest of her active life.

Lois became a private pilot, and even passed exams for a commercial license, though she never intended to be a working pilot. She just liked the challenge. Her favorite activities that soothed her inner tomboy were fishing for white bass at Badin Lake and hunting for quail around High Point and Pinehurst. She love to watch dogs work birds, and owned pointers, English spaniels, and her favorites, Brittany spaniels. She continued all of this while raising her children and maintaining their home in NW High Point. When Melissa graduated from high school, Lois and Paul fulfilled a dream to move to the "country." purchase some land, and building a house which was located near Sheppard Mountain.

Lois lived in this house and hunted in the area until age and property development made hunting impractical. She had flowers and vegetable gardens for as long as her health allowed. The home had a greenhouse which she maintained until she could no longer get around. Paul died in 2004, but Lois was watched by her son Paul Jr., who had moved in to help them. After some health problems last year, she entered the GrayBrier Nursing Home in the Archdale/Trinity area, where she remained until her passing.

Services will be held for Lois Brigman at Christ United Methodist Church at the corner of E Lexington Avenue and College Drive on Sunday, January 30th at 3:00 p.m. with the Reverend Matthew Farabow officiating. Memorials should be directed to Hospice of the Piedmont, 1801 Westchester Drive, High Point, NC 27262 or Christ United Methodist Church, 1300 N. College Drive, High Point, NC 27262. Sechrest Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

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