In Junior High she met Earl E. Higgins at church camp and they later married on December 26, 1958. She and Earl graduated together from Westmar College in LeMars, IA in 1959. They moved to Dayton, Ohio where she taught school and Earl attended United Seminary. Together they would go on to serve churches in Cambridge, Ord, Holdrege, Omaha, Aurora, Fremont, Central City, Plainview, Hastings and Kenesaw in Nebraska. She was a substitute and full-time math teacher for many different school districts. Her favorite roles were that of a loyal pastor’s wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Faith was the foundation in all she did.
Together with Earl they became a national clergy couple for Marriage Encounter and Engaged Encounter through the United Methodist Church for 33 years. They participated in mission trips and she was also involved in The United Methodist Women and the PEO Sorority. Her hobbies included gardening, quilting, sewing, baking, playing cards and marbles. As an avid sports fan, she and Earl traveled to and attended as many of the games and activities that their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews were involved in as they could. She was one of their greatest cheerleaders. Earl and her shared a love of travel which inspired camping trips with their children across the US as well as treasured trips to The Holy Land and Australia. She and Earl have resided in Lincoln since retiring.
She is survived by her husband, Rev. Earl E. Higgins, one daughter Cynthia (Mitch) Nelson of Lincoln, two sons, Mark (Lora) Higgins of South Range WI, and Timothy (Michele) Higgins of Omaha, seven grandchildren, Denys Steele of Cincinnati, OH, Ryne (Bailey) Higgins of Dallas, TX, Edward Steele of Portland, OR, Kathryn Higgins of Omaha, Caroline (Blake) Johnson of South Range, WI, James Steele of Lincoln, and Garrett Higgins of Lincoln, one great-grandchild, her brother Marvin (Ramona) Oehlerking, brother in law Rolland Higgins, sister in law Sharon Jacobsen, four nieces, six nephews and countless friends.
A memorial service will be held at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church Chapel (8550 Pioneers Blvd, Lincoln, NE 68520) on Saturday, October 1st, at 11:00AM. Visitation with the family at the church beginning at 9:30AM.
Interment will be at a later date in Murdock, Nebraska. Memorials to the family to be split between Marriage Encounter, UMW among others.