John Allen Briley, 77, of Keokuk, IA, died Monday, February 8, 2016 at the Keokuk Area Hospital. He was born on August 10, 1938 in Keokuk, the son of William Allen and Gladys Marie Rhea Briley. He married Nancy Courtney on November 14, 1964 and they later divorced. John was a veteran of the United States Army. He was drafted on September 12, 1961 and did his Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. On February 10, 1962, he was shipped to Germany where he finished the rest of his deployment. He was a lifeguard while serving in Germany. John had worked for the McFarland Paper Co, the Broom Factory, Thomas Truck and the City of Keokuk. He loved to go fishing and feed the ducks at the river. He enjoyed going to yard sales and picking up knick-knacks. John was a fair man, a man of integrity, soft spoken and slow to speak. He was a caring person and was close to all his brothers and sisters. He loved his two daughters and spoke of them often. He is survived by his two daughters, Christina Hangartner of Tucson, AZ and Valerie Hoyt of Pensacola, FL, two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, two brothers, William "Bill" Briley and wife Joan and Ned O. Rhea and wife Patti all of Keokuk, three sisters, Wanda Baugher, Liz Newberry and husband Rodger and Dorothy Burrell and husband Richard all of Keokuk. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents, one sister, Betty Lou McGeeHee and two brother-in-laws, Clifford McGeeHee and Earl Baugher. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, February 12, 2016 at the Vigen Memorial Home in Keokuk with Pastor John Happs and Richard Burrell officiating. Burial with military rites was in the Keokuk National Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Diabetes Association or donor's choice