Darwin Higgins

Darwin Eugene Higgins (known to most as Higg) was born on December 23, 1929 in Arcadia, Nebraska to William and Ruby (Matheson) Higgins. He passed away at the age of 84 on May 9th, 2014 in Oshkosh, Nebraska. At the age of 5, Higg and family moved to Comstock, Nebraska where he attended high school. After high school, Higg attended the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming for one year. Higg came to northwest Kansas in the summer of 1948 and worked on the farm of Francis Hurst southeast of Atwood. He met his wife, Helen Phelps and was married on April 11, 1949. From this marriage came 2 girls, Lori and Joni.

Higg enlisted in the army, serving from 1952-1954 and was discharged while at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. In 1955 Higg then went to Fort Rhiley, Kansas as a purchasing officer for the Civil Service. Four years later, in 1959, Higg returned to Atwood and began working for Northwest Kansas Rural Electric. In 1971 Higg left the company and began his own electrical business in Bird City called Higgins Electric. Later in life Higg worked at buying, restoring, and selling antiques. He got lots and lots of joy meeting and talking to new people while working in the antiques business.

On February 29, 1988 Higg married Beverly (Antholz) Richardson in Bird City, Kansas. They were married by Pastor Charles Miller. With this marriage he was blessed with 3 stepsons, Kim (Deb) of Grant, Nebraska; Kyle (Amy) of Oshkosh; and Kurt (Tammy) or Cimarron, Kansas. He is survived also by many grandchildren, Josh of Waco, Nebraska; Jeremiah (Karyn) of Aurora, Colorado; Jarod (Jamie) of Owasso, Oklahoma; Justin of Grant, Nebraska; Julianna of Spearfish, South Dakota; Derek (Mollie) of Denver, Colorado; Dallas (Aimee) of Wray, Colorado; Dalyn of Manhattan, Kansas; Devin of Oshkosh; and Wyatt of Hays, Kansas; one great-granddaughter, BrynAn Marie. Other family members include his brother, Doug (Shirley) of Central City, Nebraska; 2 nieces and 2 nephews; Aunt, Merle Matheson of Sargent, Nebraska and dear friend, Michael Blakeley of Oshkosh.

Higg was a member of the Wesleyan Church in Bird City. Pastor Dan Carson was very influential in Higg’s spiritual life.

In November of 2012, Higg and Beverly moved to Oshkosh and he passed there while in the nursing home.

Higg is preceded in death by his parents, wife, Helen, one infant son, brother-in-law, Roy Antholz and sister-in-law, Hester Burr.

Services to be held at the Wesleyan Church in Bird City, Kansas on Saturday, May 24th at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Dan Carson presiding. Inurnment via a private service to follow in Atwood, Kansas.