Edward W. Higgins Jr.

Edward W. Higgins, Jr., of Rochester, died Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, at his home.

He was born Aug. 15, 1931, in Chatfield, to Edward Dean Higgins and Mildred Higgins. Edward grew up in Chatfield and worked on the family farm. He served in the Army during the Korean conflict from 1951 to 1953. On Sept. 26, 1953, he and Margrethe Boesen were married. They made their home in Chatfield. In 1954, they moved to northern Minnesota to work at the Erie Mining Company, running the drill for 10 years. They moved to Eyota in 1964, where he drove school bus for the Dover-Eyota school district, drove bulk fuel truck for Greenway Co-op, owned and operated Lazy 8 Truck Stop with his wife and family, and drove bulk mail truck for the U.S. Post Office with Baumgartner Trucking. They moved to Colorado in 1986 to work with Four Corners School of the Bible, a mission for Navajo Indians, he also drove for S and S Trucking. In 1995, they moved back to Rochester where he drove for Gold Cross Couriers.

Family was first and foremost for Edward, along with serving his Lord and Savior. He enjoyed growing many flowers and gardening wherever he lived. He even pickled 26 quarts of pickles just weeks before his passing. Other hobbies were stock car racing, motorcycle riding, especially his Indian Motorcycle, playing cards and games with family and friends.

Edward is survived by his wife, Margrethe; his sons, Rodney (Jean) Higgins of Phoenix, Ariz., Curtis Higgins of Claremont and Bradley (Jan) Higgins of Rochester; grandchildren, Cathy (Rob) Ryan, Sarah (Pete) Chvatal, Michael Higgins, Amanda (Jason) Eckre, Casey Higgins, Eli Higgins and Isabella Higgins; great-grandchildren, Colton, Cody and Evianne; sisters, Ruby Scheibe and Pauline Forney; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a son, Bruce, his parents and a sister, Laura Erickson.

He will forever be in our hearts until we meet again.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church, 2810 40th Ave. S.E. in Rochester. Visitation will be at the church one hour before the service. Military honors outside the church immediately following the service.