Tonya Jo (Daniels) Briggs

Tonya Jo Briggs, age 44, passed away unexpectedly of a strep infection at Avista Hospital in Louisville, Colorado on Saturday. She was born March 2, 1979, in Medicine Lodge, Kansas.  Tonya was a young, energetic woman who had a love for life and who adored her three red headed girls.  She was involved in their dance classes, soccer teams and most of their extracurricular activities. She was very involved with two local rescues, Mother Gaia Rescue in Lafayette and Good Life Rescue. Her love of animals began when she was a young child and was a deep passion of hers. She advocated adopting locally and not purchasing from pet stores and breeders.  She had a “mini” farm at her home including two pigs named JoJo and Omlette, two goats Pearl and Jimmy, 3 dogs, 4 cats and a hedgehog appropriately named Angel.  In addition to her love of animals she had a passion for flower and vegetable gardening and often grew tall sunflowers on the side of her house.  Her love of community and her desire to better the area she lived in drove her to serve on the Lafayette City Council where she worked on several committees. She had a wonderful knack of listening to both sides of an issue and making all people know that their voice mattered and would be heard.  Tonya’s true ancestry will surprise many who knew her. She was proud of her Native American Heritage and upon her death her tribe gave her the name White Heart which means Pure Heart Which No Longer Beats. She was also of Irish and Scottish descent.  She is survived by her husband, Douglas Briggs and three daughters, Bailey, Haddie and Finley. Her parents are CJ and Tracy Liekhus of Erie, Colorado.  Tonya was the oldest of four siblings.  She is survived by two brothers Russell David Daniels and his wife, Cecilia from Trinidad CO; Juston Keith Daniels, and his wife Jessica from Phoenix AZ, and her sister Amanda Ruth Cretsinger and her husband Michael Cretsinger from Rock Springs, WY.

Tonya very much enjoyed spending time with her niece and nephews and was a wonderful Aunt to all of them. Her niece Adalyn Cretsinger of Rock Springs, WY and nephews are Zarryck and Wyatt Cretsinger, also of Rock Springs Wy and Owen Daniels, Lafayette CO. are also left to remember her. A come and go Celebration of Life in her honor will be held Saturday, September 30 at the American Legion Lodge 111 located at 1150 Pine Street, Louisville, CO 80027. The open house will be from 2-6. Guests are requested to wear casual clothing in bright colors.

Tonya was a fixture and leader in her community and her family and is greatly missed by everyone. 

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