Robert Briffett

ROBERT BRIFFETT was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 2, 1930. He lived in many foster homes and an orphanage until November of 1937 when he was adopted by John and Merle (Enke) Briffett. They raised Bob in Lake Benton, Minnesota where he attended school. After his graduation from Lake Benton High School in 1949, he entered the United States Navy in the midst of the Korean War. He served as a yeoman aboard ship and received an honorable discharge in April of 1953. He then attended vocational school in Mankato, Minnesota where he studied electronics. Upon completion of this training, he returned to Lake Benton and worked with a construction company until moving to Phoenix, Arizona to care for his father. There he became employed by Western Electric installing teletype equipment. He was transferred to their Sioux Falls, South Dakota office and during his 33-year career, the company was bought out by AT&T. He moved back to Lake Benton upon his retirement where he resided until August 15, 2019, when he died at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the age of 89 years and 13 days.

Bob was raised and a member of the United Methodist Church in Lake Benton. He was a member of the Henry Sollie American Legion Post #10 in Lake Benton where he volunteered in the honor guard and carried the American flag for events. He was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). He enjoyed gambling, fishing (which included many years of fishing trips to Canada), and hiking with his pet dogs.

He is survived by one daughter; 2 granddaughters; 9 great-grandchildren; cousin, Bobby Spencer of Lake Benton; good friend, Sherry Fehl of Lake Benton; and also a childhood friend, James K. Sorenson of Lake Benton.