Pauline Frances Briscoe, 86, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend peacefully departed this life on December 29, 2017. Born January 5, 1931 in Piney Point, MD, she was the daughter of the late George W. Briscoe and Katie Ann Gross Briscoe.
Even though Pauline’s birthday is January 5, Pauline and her twin sister, Mauline, have always celebrated their birthdays on January 5th and January 6th. The reason for the two-day celebration was because they could not find a birth certificate or document to show which day they were born. They knew it was either the 5th or 6th so they decided to celebrate each day. Later, they found a document which showed that they were born on January 5. However, even though the twins learned of their actual birthday, they continued to this day, carrying on their tradition of celebrating the two days, January 5th and 6th.
Pauline received her education in the St. Mary’s County Public School system. Her employment included several domestic positions early in her career which led to employment at the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship in Piney Point, MD. Her love for teaching and helping children led her to a position with the St. Mary’s County Government as a Teacher’s Aide at the St Mary’s County Day Care Center. She later accepted a position with the Department of Social Services where she retired after more than 25 years of faithful service.
On Sunday mornings you could find Pauline sitting in her favorite chair watching the Bobby Jones Gospel Show or Church Mass when she was unable to attend church service. Daily, she would read her Bible and Prayers and would always wake reciting her prayers and would never fall asleep without saying her prayers.
Pauline, affectionately known as Granny or Grandma by her grandchildren and “Aunt Per” by nieces and nephews, was a loving and caring person. She was a woman of strong FAITH who believed in God and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Her FAMILY was her #1 PRIORITY – she ALWAYS did whatever possible to make sure her family was provided for – truly the pillar, foundation and TREASURE of the family. Her favorite pastime was sleepovers she had with her twin sister, Mauline (who has been inseparable since birth) and talking with her two sisters and close friends on the telephone – it was nothing for her to spend hours chatting it up late into the night or early morning. She also enjoyed watching her soap operas, “The Young and the Restless” and talk-shows such as Dr. Oz and Wendy Williams. She often enjoyed word searches in between her shows.
Sunday dinners and holidays with her family were special, especially when her “men” (sons and grandsons) would cook or prepare food on the grill. She often times would follow-up dinner with a ride to the “Square” (aka Lexington Park shopping center) to get an ice cream cone. She loved caring for her great-grands and enjoyed exchanging snacks with them “I know you brought some for Grandma” she would add with a smile. Pauline would supervise her sons/grandsons on weekends doing her yard work; assuring her white chairs were intact and bushes trimmed to the tee. She would also spend quality time with her only daughter, Margaret, by visiting each other, taking rides and watching Lifetime Movies, just to name a few of the activities they did together. You could also catch her at her favorite restaurant “Golden Corral” on a Sunday or her every year tradition “Mother’s Day”, with her children and grandchildren, enjoying her favorite dish, seafood salad.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her son, Stephen Briscoe; her siblings, Marie Briscoe, Catherine Dickens, Delores Briscoe, Mary Travers, Marnette Briscoe, Inez Mosely, Eugene Briscoe, Clarence Briscoe, Roland Briscoe, George Briscoe, Albert Briscoe and Joseph Briscoe.
She leaves behind her five children and their spouses, James Briscoe, Sr. (Barbara) of Waldorf, MD, Samuel Briscoe, Sr. of Lexington Park, MD, Margaret Briscoe-Somerville (Charles) of Hollywood, MD, Darnell Briscoe (Maria) of Temple Hills, MD and Michael Briscoe, Sr. (Tina) of Clinton, MD, nineteen grandchildren, thirty-one great grand-children, two sisters, Mauline Jordan (twin) of Drayden, MD and Dorothy Sutton of Washington, DC, and a loving host of family, friends and numerous members of the extended family. Special recognition is given to Diane Freeman-Briscoe and Joellyn Dyson-Briscoe.
Family and friends will unite on Saturday, January 6, 2018 for visitation at 11 am until Mass of Christian Burial at 12 noon at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 22375 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park, MD. Interment to follow at the church cemetery.
