Jeffrey "Jeff" Alan Briar

Jeff was born on September 15, 1956 in Jackson County, Missouri, to Jack E. Briar and Beverly (Ackerson) Briar. Jeff was the second of four sons. Jeff’s father, a previous speed boat racer, taught his sons how to build, fix things, invent things and instilled in them a great love for everything loud and fast.

Jeff married twice before meeting his future wife Pat in 2016 at the age of 60. Pat and Jeff married May 10, 2019 at James P. Davis Hall at Wyandotte County Lake. They declared each was the love of their life and wondered where the other one had been all their life. Pat and Jeff didn’t have a long time together. The time they did have was filled with fun, love, animals and occasional bouts of old age grumpiness.

Jeff grew up always having dogs and other animals around. He had a huge heart for animals. They seemed to know it and would readily come to him. Jeff had some non traditional pets. One was a chicken named Wally. His most remarkable pet was Tanya a Florida Cougar he raise from a cub in Arkansas. If he didn’t have a pet of his own he would spoil a neighbors pet. Sometimes the pets decided they would rather live with Jeff. As happened with his dog Diesel who lived with him and his second wife Bonnie.

Jeff’s wife Pat brought her two pets into their relationship. An aloof cat named Trixie and a Cairn Terrier named Lucy. Jeff loved all the pets but he adored Lucy. Time brought changes to the household. Roscoe, a scruffy rescue, was a Valentine’s Day present from Pat to Jeff. When the beloved Lucy passed a new troublesome puppy named Millie was brought into the fold. For a time, they had Jinx, a huge amiable orange tabby. Jinx disappeared one night and never came home again. Jeff, Pat and their animals were very much a family. Complete with their ups and downs.

Jeff started kindergarten at Frank Rushton Elementary in Mission, KS. Excited for her second born’s first day of school, Jeff’s mother arranged for him to walk there with the daughter of a friend. The little girl was cute and sweet. She skipped up to him wearing bobby socks and saddle shoes. Jeff’s first observation, that, day was that girls needed more observation. He was a fast study.

Summer breaks were spent with his brothers at the family cabin at the Lake of the Ozarks. It was a boy’s heaven on earth. Summer fun included swimming, fishing, ski boats, mini bikes and learning more about girls. However, one unfortunate incident occurred at the Lake. Jeff and his cousin Todd were two free spirited boys out on an adventure. For whatever reason the two built and started a small fire in the woods. The fire got out of hand and they ran for help. Worrying all the way about how bad they were in trouble. Fortunately the fire was quickly put out by the men in the area. An interesting note to the story is that cousin Todd went on to become a fire chief.

In the fall the family returned to their home in Mission. At home Jeff’s need for speed could only be satisfied by kicking up a little dust driving his go cart around the yard. This activity was greatly frowned upon by the lady next door. She had trouble trying to hang her clean laundry out to dry. As Jeff grew his interests grew as well. He was an athlete and played football 5th through 8th grades. He discovered Rock music which lead him and some friends to form a garage band. The band didn’t have a name and the only song they could play was “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone,” by The Rolling Stones, which they played over and over again.

Moving on to school at Old Mission Junior High and Shawnee Mission North High School. Jeff’s Interests continued to grow. Two of his more important interests were aviation history and art. Jeff was a natural born artist. That was a talent the family felt he inherited from his grandparents (Ackerson) on his mothers side. They had owned an art gallery and frame shop. His interest in aviation and war machines most likely stemmed from his love of all things fast and loud.

Out at the “Lake” Jeff and his friends turned goofing around on the water into a full fledged ski show complete with pyramid formation at the end. At Tan-Tar-A Estates, near Osage Beach, the teenagers would fly past the condominium residents streaming skiers and white waves behind. Residents would stand on their party decks cheering and clapping. The kids didn’t ever get paid for their show but they had a whole lot of fun. Fun was something Jeff was all about.

To Jeff’s dismay, during his first year in high school, his father’s business took the Briar family to Los Fresnos, Texas. They were there for only a couple of years when a new business opportunity for Jeff’s father brought the Briars back to Kansas. His father and partners built a manufacturing plant in Gardner for a version of a spin trimmer. The Briars built a beautiful home surrounded by land, a pond and a huge work shop. Jeff resumed high school hoping after that to become an architect. However his father drafted Jeff into the company and assigned him to marketing and advertising activities.

The Briar family remained in Gardner until the spin trimmer business was sold. Following that Jeff’s father developed the Thunder Gun, a power washer gun. Briar Industries, Inc. was formed and the Briar family moved to the Hot Springs, Arkansas area and to set up manufacturing of their new product. The family also built and sold display racks for gun merchants to use at gun shows. That business was under the name of J. Elden’s which was his father’s middle name. Jeff assisted with creating ads for sporting publications and marketing. At one point Jeff moved back to the Kansas City area.

Jeff decided to opened shop on his own. Drawing on his artistic and craftsman talents. Jeff’s first business J.A. Briar Conceptuals provided architectural rendering services. His next business was named Designer’s Studio Renderings focusing on residential cabinetry design, presentation renderings and fabrication.

After doing that for awhile Jeff decided it was time to do something else. Eventually he found work in the shop at Built to Fit, Inc. a custom cabinetry company in Bonner Springs, KS. One day simply by accident Jeff‘s skill at hand drawn architectural renderings was revealed. After seeing a drawing of an entertainment center Jeff was doing for himself, the owner immediately pulled Jeff from the shop and set up him up to work with clients and present them detailed drawings. Jeff strove to innovate the process. He worked out how to create photo perfect computer generated images. Clients were delighted at seeing their projects come to life.

Times changed and Jeff moved on to work for Profile Cabinets in their Sales/Design department. Jeff retired in 2022 and started his last business venture, Briar Custom. He was building custom cabinetry out of the basement garage of his home.

Jeff was one of a kind. Some of us have had Jeff in their life for a long time. Others of us for only a small number of years. No matter the length we are left devastated by the loss. The world feels a little less without having him in it.

Jeff was preceded in death by his parents Jack & Beverly Briar and brother Jack Briar Jr.

He is survived by his wife Patrice (Pageler) Briar; devoted critters Millie, Roscoe, and Trixie; brothers Steve Briar and Scott Briar; nieces Britteny Briar, Jennifer Briar and Sarah Briar; nephews Bradley Briar, Bronson Briar, Clinton Briar, Lance Briar and Travis Briar; and by many great nieces, great nephews, supportive in-laws, wonderful cousins and amazing friends. Jeff will miss you all.

A gathering of family and friends for Jeffrey will be held Saturday, February 18, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Chapel Hill-Butler Funeral Home, 701 North 94th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66112. Followed by a celebration of life at 3:00 PM. Please stay after the service and join us for an appetizer buffet with non alcoholic refreshments.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.chapelhill-butler.com for the Briar family.

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