Richard Montgomery Briner, Age 80, of Sanger, TX passed away peacefully on October 18, 2021, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on May 26, 1941, in Jacksonville, FL to Captain Richard and Dorothy Briner (USN retired) of Carlisle, PA.

Richard, also known as Dick, grew up in a Navy aviation family and lived at many bases across the U.S. as well as the Philippines. He attended William Tennent High School in Southampton, PA where he met his future wife Carolyn Mowers. Excelling in math and wrestling, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1964. He married Carolyn in 1965 at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, MD. They were stationed at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, FL where Dick flew the A-4 and A-7 attack aircraft. In July 1967 he served on the USS Forrestal flying combat missions into North Vietnam. After returning from a mission a catastrophic inferno broke out on the ship's flight deck. During this tragedy he helped injured sailors and aided in the recovery of the damaged ship.

In 1970 Dick transitioned from the active Navy and started flying for Delta Airlines. He and Carol moved to Texas and quickly settled on a grass airstrip near Sanger. Dick transferred to the Navy Reserve where he flew the F-8 and F-4 fighters at Navy Dallas. "Tricky" was known for a good Navy low pass or two over the airstrip in the early years where Old Glory was always flying high.

During his airline career Dick flew the L-100, DC-8, DC-9, B-727, B-737, L-1011, B-757 and B-767 aircraft. While flying the B-737, he instructed and mentored Delta pilots as a Line Check Airman fueling his passion for helping fellow aviators. In May 2001 he retired after 31 years as a B-767 Captain with an epic retirement flight and party in Nice, France.

Over the years, Dick had many interests that fed his zest for life and relentless work ethic. He started several small businesses, ran cattle with his wife and sons, raised horses and goats, and he was instrumental in designing and developing an addition to the airstrip community near Sanger. Dick loved spending time with his family and friends, especially his grandchildren. He often told humorous stories accompanied by a quick smile. He also enjoyed flying, horseback riding, his animals, and his various homestead improvement projects. Dick was meticulous and ingenious; he could design, build, and fix almost anything—he instilled in his sons the importance of "attention to detail" to get the job done right the first time. He was a gifted horseman, a tremendous athlete, and it was common to see him put a wrestling move or two on his buddies or sons in the squadron, house, or hangar…even in his later years.

Dick was generous and he enjoyed helping others. He coached Little League Baseball and Pee Wee Football during his sons' school years. He started and coached Sanger's first youth wrestling team. He was known for giving rides to friends of all ages in his Christen Eagle II or vintage Cessna 140. Often, these flights were a first-time airplane ride or an aerobatic thrill flight. Dick taught both of his sons to fly. In addition, he had a passion for mentoring young aspiring service members and pilots to help them achieve their goals and dreams.

Richard Briner was a courageous man having endured dementia for an extended period, always with his loving wife Carol at his side. His love of life, his humor and his smile will be remembered. He is survived by his wife Carol of 56 years; his sister Anne Supper (Lee); two sons Rich (Annette) and John (Bryn); his 5 grandchildren: Rachael, Katherine, Reese, Andrew, and Zachary; two nieces Nancy Fitts (Cubby) and Caty Fortuin (Matt).

The family will receive friends on Saturday, November 13, 2021, from 10:30-11:00 am at the DeBerry Funeral Home, 2025 West University Drive, Denton, Texas with a service immediately following at 11:00 am. Interment with military honors will occur at a later date on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or the Dementia Society of America.