Paul Martin "Skip" Higgins Jr.

1938 - 2024

Norwich - Paul "Skip" Martin Higgins Jr., 86, of Norwich and Groton Long Point, passed away Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, at Hartford Hospital, surrounded by his family. He was born in Norwich Sept. 17, 1938, to the late Paul Martin Higgins Sr. and Teresa (Fitzgerald) Higgins.

Skip graduated from NFA in 1956, and earned an associate's degree at Mitchell College following high school. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy serving with the Seabees and a proud successful business owner of Higgins Electric Supply, Inc. in Norwich, for over 40 years.

Skip had many interests and hobbies. He was a former volunteer firefighter at the Windham Center Fire Department, where he eventually served as assistant chief, a member of the Willimantic Country Club, always enjoying a memorable round of golf with friends, an avid fisherman, specializing in catching striper and flounder in Long Island Sound, a clever craftsman and woodworker, and last but not least, a connoisseur of lobster.

Besides his loving wife Mary Lu (Sullivan) Higgins, he is survived by a daughter, Lucretia Porizky and her husband Mark of Mystic; and a daughter, Lucinda Marsalisi and her husband Tony of Columbia; five grandchildren: Ryan Marsalisi and his wife Jessica of Columbia, Cassandra Rollinson and her husband Nathan of Groton, William DeCourcey of Mystic, Kyle Marsalisi and his wife Haley of Miami, and Joseph Marsalisi and his wife Kelsey of Columbia; and two great-grandchildren, Brayden and Connor Marsalisi of Columbia. He was predeceased by a sister, Alice Ann Tompkins.

Relatives and friends may join the family for a Celebration of Life at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Norwich Country Club, 685 New London Turnpike, Norwich. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Vessels for Veterans at workvesselsforveterans.org. Please visit www.churchandallen.com to leave an online condolence for the Higgins' family.

The family would like to acknowledge the tremendous care Skip received from the staff at William W. Backus Hospital, Hartford Hospital and from the members of the Yantic Fire Department over the last few months. Special thanks to the doctors and nurses of the Bliss 2 ICU at Hartford Hospital for their exceptional care and compassion shown to Skip and his family in his final hours.