James was born on July 19, 1950, in Portland, Maine, the son of James J. and Phyllis M. (Crosby) Briggs. He grew up in Scarborough, Maine and was the Valedictorian of the class of 1968. James earned his Bachelor of Arts with Highest Distinction from the University of Maine, Portland-Gorham in 1972 and went on to achieve his Doctor of Medicine at the Medical College of Virginia in 1976 specializing in Family Practice.
On May 27, 1978, James was united in marriage to Gayle Ann Young of Adrian, Michigan at the Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.
After 12 years, practices in two different states, and 3 children, James and Gayle moved their family to Massachusetts to pursue his goal of becoming a child psychiatrist. Through Brown University, he completed his Residency in Psychiatry in 1993 at Butler Hospital and completed a Residency in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 1995, where he served as Chief Resident. James began his career as a psychiatrist in hospitals and community mental health centers across southeast Michigan.
Recently reflecting on his own medical career, James shared that his career could be defined by three of his passions. First, he spent his entire career advocating for children. Second, James enjoyed working in the clinic alongside doctors completing their residency in psychiatry. As a faculty member at the University of Michigan Medical School, he shared wisdom, practical insight, and judgment gained through his experiences. Their enthusiasm and his dedication to the program resulted in him volunteering in the clinic after he retired. His third passion was Forensic Psychiatry. James worked mostly with young, incarcerated men who were eligible for release. Together they developed a plan for a successful life on the outside and created tools to keep life on track. Each success was gratifying for him. James was on the staff of the Michigan Department of Corrections, practicing in multiple locations across the state.
James retired from medicine in 2018 ending a successful and rewarding medical career of over 40 years. He was looking forward to spending more quality time with his family, especially his seven grandchildren whom he adored.
James was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved wife, Gayle. James will be missed by his children, James M. Briggs and wife Jessica (Adams) of Adrian, Elizabeth A. (Briggs) Worthley and husband Travis of Smithfield, RI, and Scott H. Briggs and wife Lindsay (Bays) of Tampa, Fl; 7 grandchildren, Alexandra, Hudson, Thomas, Cooper, Madelyn, James “JT”, and Julianna; sister Deirdre (Briggs) Thornton and husband Joseph of Scarborough, ME; and cousins and friends.
James (AKA Hudson) loved Maine, especially the ocean. As a senior citizen surfing and skiing were in the past but he was always up for a ride around the beaches with a stop at Ken’s Place for clam cakes.
Following Hudson’s wishes, interment will be in the Black Point Cemetery in Scarborough, Maine.
A family graveside service will be held.
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