R. Briley Altman

Richard Briley Altman, son of Elizabeth Prosser Altman and the late Richard Altman, passed away suddenly on July 15, 2024. He was playing on the beach with his closest family members, including his only child, Madison English Altman Turner, and her husband, Ryan. He is survived by his three sisters, Patricia Brockway, Sandy (Mike) Welch, Jeana Altman, eight nieces and nephews and fourteen grand nieces and nephews, each one with a different set of memories to share about Briley.

Briley was born in Hemingway on May 14, 1961, and grew up in the Vox Community outside Johnsonville, SC. He graduated from Johnsonville High School, and earned a BA and MBA at Francis Marion University, where he was Student Government Association VP in 1981. Later he became a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner. He went on to become a successful financial professional. During his career, he managed major business accounts in banking, insurance, aviation, the marine industry, and non-profits like the Eastern Carolina Homelessness Organization. His in-kind work was quite impressive, and professional affiliations are too numerous to list.

A pianist from the age of three, Briley had almost no formal training; his very first teacher dismissed him because he was already too good. He had more than enough God-given talent to captivate audiences large and small. As part of a loving and close-knit family with deep and abiding roots in the Pentecostal faith, gospel music evolved as his strong suite, but he could extemporaneously play nearly anything he heard. He did so with polish and a style that was both exceptional and inimitable.

 For decades, Briley played for gospel groups, churches, choirs and theatre groups, private parties, restaurants, and a crazy variety of other performance venues. He was as comfortable on large stages as he was on the small ones, and he genuinely loved every minute spent on the bench.

 In 2020, during recovery from heart surgery, Briley hit his stride when he launched the At The Bench With Briley Facebook page on a COVID-inspired whim. In the next four years, he became internationally known with 35,000+ followers. Ultimately, he played for and with a whole host of nationally known musicians and ministers and cut his own gospel album, Dwell, in Nashville, TN. While gaining fame, he always shared his spotlight with other musicians and vocalists and became known for his ability to build community and unite people. On stage and in life, Briley Altman consistently aimed to uplift and inspire everyone he met by demonstrating the absolute, unrelenting grace of God.

Family visitation will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 2:30 PM at Lake City Pentecostal Holiness Church with funeral services immediately following at 4 PM. Burial will be private.

The funeral service will be livestreamed on Briley’s Facebook, At the Bench With Briley

The Altman family is proud to use A’Bloom Florals in Lake City, 843.374.9425.

In honor of Briley's legacy, donations to support Madison and Ryan's family journey are deeply appreciated. To read more and contribute, please visit their GoFundMe page: Help the Altman-Turner Family Adoption

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