Laura Sue Barton Bradberry Briers

Laura Sue Barton Bradberry Briers, 94, of Hinton went home to be with the Lord Thursday, June 26, 2025 at her home following a brief illness.

Born January 10, 1931 in a log cabin on Barton Ridge above the New River to the late Allen Green Barton and Wilda “Willie” Hedrick Shepard Barton.

She was raised with a simple farm life in the 1930s and early 40s, where the value of hard work and perseverance was instilled in her. At 16, Sue went to work at G.C. Murphy Department Store selling paint, then The Ritz Theatre, afterward the Don Array Shop where she sold women’s fashions and modeled in their fashion shows. She was regarded as a woman of grace, style and class. Sue was a teller at the National Bank of Summers where she met the love of her life, Bill Briers, when he purposefully selected her window to cash his check. She always said, “life began at 40”. From her memoir, “Bill changed my plain and simple life and brought me into a very interesting, exciting and wonderful life of happiness I never knew existed. From the first day Bill came into my life I never ever thought of dating anyone else. It was as though I knew the Lord had chosen Bill for me.” When Bill asked Sue if she would be willing to move due to his job, with her devotion and adventurous spirit she replied, “I’ll go anywhere but outer space.” She enjoyed travelling throughout the US and abroad, having lived in 11 states and Iran before the Iranian Revolution of the late 1970s. Bill and Sue were married for 29 wonderful years when he passed in 2000.

Sue had a lifelong relationship with God. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Hinton where she was active in the Women’s Mission Circle and the Fidelis Class. Her friends and family knew her to be a great role model, selfless, always serving others, a faithful believer in Jesus, and a prayer warrior. From her memoir, “I am so thankful the Lord placed me in a wonderful Christian home and that my parents were there to guide and direct me on my travel to become a young lady. They strived to instill within me, fundamental values, integrity, loyalty, honesty and good character. These guidelines have been woven throughout my life, and all have been a very important part of my life. We were taught to study the Bible, love one-another and we should always treat others as we wished to be treated. Above all, we were taught to live a life that would be pleasing to the Lord and remember, He is always with us.”

Sue was preceded in death by her loving husband, William Jennings “Bill” Briers Jr., one grandson, Gabriel Briers O’Hara, and her eight older siblings.

Those left to cherish her memory include her three children, Karen Sue Bradberry Donovan and husband John, Rebekah Briers O’Hara and husband Joseph, and William Jennings Briers III and wife Debbie; three step children, William Zachary Briers, Jennifer Briers Guthrie and Gregory Allen Briers and wife Melissa; an adopted son from Iran, Khosro Yoosefi; five grandchildren, who knew her as Granny, John Donovan III, Reagan James O’Hara, Rylan William Briers, Titus Dominic O’Hara and Levi Jennings O’Hara and nine step grandchildren who knew her as Granny Sue, and many nieces and nephews she loved.

Funeral services will be 1:00 P.M. Tuesday, July 1, 2025 at the Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors Chapel with Pastor Jeff Canterbury officiating. Burial will follow in the Restwood Memorial Gardens near Hinton. Visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Monday, June 30, 2025. Family will serve as pallbearers.