On Sunday, October 18th, 2020, George Browning Biggs, Jr. entered into eternal rest and his spirit went to be with his Savior Jesus Christ. George was a loving husband to Jean Hansen Biggs for sixty-six years until her passing in 2019. He was known by friends and family for his generous nature and loyal friendship.

Born on November 26th, 1929 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, George was the second child of Elaine and George Browning Biggs, Sr. Along with older sister Flora and younger brother Raymond, George spent a happy childhood in Montclair, New Jersey. Elaine and George Sr. established a legacy of close-knit family bonds that George upheld within his own family.

George’s life was punctuated by his passion and deep dedication to his musical pursuits and his faith practice. From a young age, his talent for the piano was appreciated by close friends and family. George completed a bachelor's degree at Dartmouth College, followed by a masters of music from Eastman School and a masters of arts in biblical literature from Wheaton College. In 1968, he was awarded a PhD in music theory and music education at Indiana University.

George was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952, serving for two years in Japan before being honorably discharged. During leave for Christmas of 1952, George and Jean were married. George’s commitment to religious and musical endeavors extended beyond personal exploration, leading to teaching positions at several universities over the course of his career. His music teaching career took him and Jean to Messiah College in Pennsylvania, Barrington College in Rhode Island, and Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas. While in Rhode Island, George lent his time to many churches in the area as choir director or organist. In 1983, George and Jean moved to the Presbyterian Pan Am School in Kingsville, Texas.

Following his position at the Pan Am School, George and Jean found a home in Georgetown, Texas where they spent their remaining thirty years together. They were frequently visited by their two daughters: Karen Berman, married to Jonathan Berman, from Oak Park, IL, and Janet Biggs, married to Robert Cmar, from Brooklyn, NY. Karen and Jonathan have two daughters, Caroline Louise, an environmental policy analyst in Michigan and Claire Elaine, an English as a Second Language teacher in Chicago. All remember George, “Dad”, or “Opa” as keeping the house filled with stories, songs, and laughter. His sense of humor ran from playful poems written for friends to turkey gobble imitations that delighted his daughters and granddaughters.

George leaves behind a legacy of original musical compositions, including a cantata that he composed in his 80s, titled “Watching for God at Dawn.” Throughout his life and numerous relocations, George was able to make many lasting friendships. He was a mentor to many and an energetic correspondent, across decades and national borders. To know George was to have a friend for life.

A memorial service will be held on December 5th, 2020 at 2:00pm CST at https://youtu.be/hvy1A1nTbsU  He will be buried at Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery, Brattleboro, VT. Memorial donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 703 S Church St, Georgetown, TX 78626 (https://www.fpcgeorgetown.org/) or to Doctors Without Borders (https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ or 1-888-392-0392).