Dorothy Rich Higbie

1917 - 2015

Dorothy Rich Higbie
Resident of Lake Oswego, Oregon
Dorothy Rich Higbie, wife of the late Reverend Alanson Higbie passed away peacefully on Friday April 24th in her residence at Mary's Woods Retirement Community in Lake Oswego, OR. She was 98 years old.
Dorothy (or Dot) was born on March 4, 1917 to Wesley and Mary Rich in Middletown, CT. She was the second of six children and grew up in Middletown and Portland, CT. Dorothy graduated from Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA in 1938. Following college, she obtained a BS degree in Social Work from Simmons School of Social Work in Boston after which she worked as a social worker in Portland, ME.
In 1941, she married Rev. Alanson Higbie, a minister in the Episcopal Church. Dorothy actively partnered with her husband in his parish ministry while raising a family of 5 children. After serving parishes in Beverly, MA and Cincinnati, OH, Rev. and Mrs. Higbie moved to Burlingame, CA in 1960, where he served as the rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church for 19 years. Dot was always very devoted to her children, grandchildren and her extended family and organized biannual family reunions. In retirement, the Higbies lived in San Luis Obispo, CA where they were very involved in community activities.
Throughout her life, Dot was known for her welcoming spirit and her heart for the less fortunate. She often took the lead in organizing new ways of serving the community. One such example was her role as a co-founder of the Center for Independent Living, which provides a community for developmentally delayed adults. She was active in establishing and leading both the Literacy Council and Hospice in San Luis Obispo and was actively involved with Samaritan House in San Mateo, CA.
Dot had a lifelong love of nature, which she developed as a girl scout and which flourished during long summers in the town of North Falmouth on Cape Cod. She was an avid hiker and would always bring along her binoculars and Field Guides for identifying birds, flowers and other flora and fauna. Dot's love of nature is a lasting legacy which has been passed down to the next generation.
Dot had many interests which she pursued throughout her life. She loved learning new things and was a member of book groups for over 40 years. She was a very active member of the Mary's Woods community, where she served as a volunteer tutor, provided support and care to other residents and also served in volunteer roles at Christ Church, Lake Oswego.
Her family and friends will miss her sparkling eyes, her hearty laugh and her love of wordplay.
Dorothy is survived by her daughters Sally Camp of New York City and Mary Foltz of Portland, OR; her sons Alanson Higbie, Jr. of Colorado Springs, Wesley Higbie of San Francisco and Henry Higbie of Greenwich, CT; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. She is beloved by many.
A Memorial Service will be held at Christ Church in Lake Oswego, OR on Friday May 8th at 11:00 AM. There will also be a Memorial Service held in the Chapel at Mary's Woods on Saturday May 9th at 11:30 am. Contributions in her memory can be made to Heifer International, which provides sustainable solutions to world hunger and poverty. Donations can be made on Heifer's website, www.heifer.org.