Mary Lou Higgins, 82, of Traverse City and formerly of Grand Rapids, MI, passed away Saturday, July 28, 2018, at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. Mary was born on Sunday, December 08, 1935, to the late John Burrows and Esther Madonna (Linkfield) Hazlett in Grand Rapids. She married James A. Higgins on Saturday, March 3, 1956, in Grand Rapids. Mary and Jim made their home in the Grand Rapids area prior to moving to the Interlochen area 25 years ago. She had been employed as the foreman of Ray-Don Book Binders prior to her retirement and had also been the church secretary for St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Kentwood, where she and Jim were very active. Mary was an avid bowler and enjoyed serving as secretary to her bowling leagues. She loved to entertain friends in her home and was one of the kindest and most loving people you would care to meet. She always saw the good in everyone and never uttered a bad word about anyone. She made this world a better place by her kindness and care for others. Mary thoroughly enjoyed animals, especially dogs. Her number one priority however, was always her family. She loved each one dearly and enjoyed keeping up on her family’s activities through social media. Mary is survived by her husband of 62 years, Jim; her children, Guy (Roxanne) Higgins of Middleville, James (Patricia) Higgins of Dorr, Richard (Danielle) Higgins of Jenison, Sue (Jeff) Potter of Grand Rapids, 16 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and brother Bill Hazlett of Wyoming. Mary was a very dear and beloved aunt to many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Patricia Ross. A service celebrating Mary’s life will take place Thursday, August 2 at 11 AM at O’Brien-Eggebeen-Gerst Chapel, 3890 Cascade Rd SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. Rev. Rodney D. Otto officiating.Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Interment Findlay Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be directed to your local humane society or to the American Cancer Society, 129 Jefferson Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Please share your memories of Mary with her family by visiting her guestbook at gerstfuneralhomes.com
10 Responses
The very first time I met Mary I knew how special she is to everyone in her family. You could see how much her family meant to her. She will be so missed. God Bless Mary.
I’m so very sorry for your loss.I wish we could be there for you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Rest in peace Mary Lou. Heaven has gained an angel.
I will never forget the time Mary Lou got in her car and drove two houses down in a terrible rain storm to retrieve us Huizinga kids so we wouldn’t be scared and alone while our mother worked. She was very kind to all of us Cavanaugh kids, all 63 of us. So sorry for your loss. GOD bless you all.
Aunt Mary.always gave me comfort when ever I seen her.It was,always like,being next to my mother.They looked,a lot alike.Two Sisters that were so much like,each other.loveing careing kind to everyone.I will miss you So much Aunt Mary.
So many great memories of my sweet grandma!
I remember always doing such fun holiday stuff together- especially all of our fun stockings and Easter eggs when I was young.
I used to love going to Traverse City because she made the best potatoes in the morning for breakfast.
My grandma also watched MTV with me in middle school and high school and I just loved that so much and thought she was so great for taking interest in things I liked.
One memory I’m sure my grandma appreciated was when I was in 3rd grade, during grandparent’s day at school, when everyone couldn’t believe she was my grandma because she looked so young. ❤️
What an amazing person my grandma was!
Much love to my grandpa and all of my family during this time of loss.
❤️ Steph Higgins VanLonkhuyzen
I had the privilege of being Mary Lou’s niece and knew her to be generous, kind hearted and devoted to my Uncle Jim and each of her children grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as her nieces and nephews. I’ve never met anyone as loving. She was completely unflapable. She was easy to laugh and enormously generous. I’m a better person for having known her and as I told Uncle Jim recently: she is the best of us. She will be sorely missed.
Our deepest sympathy to the Higgins family on the loss of your loved one, our thoughts and prayers will be with you. ❤️
I did not know Mary but I know her sweet and kind grandson, Sean, and I know her spirit will live on in him. So very sorry to the Higgins family for your loss.
Sending my Gods strength and peace to you uncle Jim and my cousins and their families. I love you all and will miss aunt Mary Lou. Heavens gain is our loss.
When the news of Mary Lou’s passing reached us it hit us with a tremendous impact! We were saddened, and her death has left us with a void that can never be entirely filled. In this time of sorrow our only consolation is the knowledge that we were privileged to know Mary over the years. They do not come any better than Mary Lou! She was the sweetest, most loving, gracious person, and I never ever heard her say a bad word about anyone! We also take comfort in the fact that apart of Mary will continue to live, reflected in the lives of her children and the young people whom she guided and inspired over the years. We will miss her laugh.
Our hearts and our prayers are with you Jim, your children, the rest of your family, at this most difficult of times.