Ezra Briggs III

Ezra James Briggs III

Ezra James (Jim) Briggs III passed away on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at the McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah at the age of 73.  He died from injuries caused by a fall at home in Layton, Utah on January 2, 2021.

Jim was born in Caribou, Maine on February 14, 1947 the son of Ezra James Briggs II (1918-1985) and Thurley Marilyn (Ward) Briggs of Limestone, Maine (1924-2020).  Along with his parents, he is predeceased by his mother’s sister Norma Elaine (Ward) Shaw (1927-2018) and Norma’s husband Bernard Wesley Shaw (1928-2017) of Limestone and Augusta, Maine.

Jimmy graduated from the University of Maine in Orono, Maine with an associate degree. He then enrolled in pilot training school at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.  After graduation he began a life-time career in the airline industry, first flying for Executive Air in New England then working for Delta Airlines as a regional marketing manager out of Albuquerque, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City.  After his work at Delta, Jim lived his dream of piloting again when he began flying private jets for Million Air out of Utah.

Like his father, Jim was an accomplished third generation fly fisherman and avid bird hunter often accompanied by his dog, Wally, a Brittany Spaniel.  He enjoyed amateur ski racing in Maine, technical ice climbing and mountaineering in Mexico and skiing, the mountains of the west in Colorado and Utah.  In the kitchen he could create a perfect French Tarte aux Fraises as well as other delicious creations.

Jim is survived by his loving daughter Chelsey Petro Higuera and her husband Ray of Eden, Utah, his brother Ward Briggs of Bangor, Maine; along with his cousin Sara (Shaw) Hardy and her husband Mike Hardy of Hermon, Maine; their daughter Emily (Hardy) Clark and her husband Garrett Clark of Turner, Maine; and his cousin Susan (Shaw) Nile and her husband Carson Nile of Pittsfield, Maine.  He was predeceased by his cousin Stephen Samuel Shaw (1952-2019) of Ft. Fairfield, Maine.  Jim is also survived by his former wife Sandi (Crafton) Martin who remained a close friend to him and his family.

A special thank you to all the staff and hospice caregivers at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah who cared for Jim during his last days.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a memorial service will be planned at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Utah Public Radio where Jim volunteered on the phones during pledge drives and the Natural Resources Council of Maine.  The latter was co-founded by his late father Jim Briggs.

Services entrusted to Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Rd., Layton, Utah.