Edward William Higgins Jr., 94, of Winchester, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 31, 2020, at his home surrounded by his loved ones. Born on July 13, 1926 in Cleveland, OH to Edith L. (Ruff) and Edward William Higgins, Ed was raised and received his education in Scarsdale, NY and spent summers at their ancestral home in Lamoine, Maine. He enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and served on the Robert E. Callan Troop Transport Ship until 1946. Following his service, Ed earned his Bachelors Degree in History from Middlebury College, where he met the love of his life, Jean (Maintain). They were married on September 6, 1952 and raised their family in Winchester. Ed spent his career working as a Store Engineer at his father-in-law's design and manufacturing company, Maintain Store Engineering, Inc., Woburn, MA. Summertime with his young family was spent in Rockport, MA, where Ed enjoyed scuba diving, catching lobsters and spearing flounder. In their station wagon they traveled many miles to make lasting memories, camping and skiing, throughout New England and Canada. They visited extended family across the country and took these opportunities to appreciate the history and beauty of the USA. Ed and Jean also planned trips with their many lifelong friends to play golf and explore foreign countries. Throughout his life Ed was rarely without his camera, from taking reel-to-reel home movies in the early days to creatively capturing his environment with his iPhone. Ed volunteered for the Winchester Hospital and, during retirement, worked as a patient transport assistant. In the 1960s-70s, with Jean a member of The Winton Club, he was part of the Stage Crew for the annual Winton Club Cabaret productions. Ed and Jean often entertained friends in their home and regularly hosted the Stage Crew party, where Ed was known for his famous Bloody Mary recipe! Growing up outside New York City in the 1940s, Ed took in the nightclub scene and became an aficionado of Big Band jazz orchestras. In college, his musical tastes grew to include a love of classical music, his favorite symphony being Beethovens 9th. Whether appreciating the genius of Beethoven, tapping his fingers and toes to a classic Count Basie tune or swinging Jean around the dance floor to the sounds of Glenn Miller, Ed was happiest with this music as the soundtrack to his life. Eds athletic pursuits included basketball (Captain, Scarsdale HS) and tennis (Early Birds, WILTC) but it was the game of golf that became his passion. He played golf regularly until he was 93, participating annually in Member-Guest tournaments. A longtime member of Bass Rocks Golf Club in Gloucester, MA, Ed cherished the friendships he made socializing on and around the course. His warm and friendly nature and subtle wit always got people laughing. He was a lot of fun to be around and will be missed by all. Ed is survived by a brother, Richard J. Higgins, Freeport, ME; three daughters, Nancy H. Berke (Bruce) Bow, NH, Susan H. Leonard (Gregory) Brunswick, ME, and Carol H. Palumbo (Vincent) Kingston, NH; 10 grandchildren, Edward, Hunter, Emily, Bradford, Peter, Diana, James, Melissa, Steven, and Robert; 6 great-grandchildren, Gusto, Halcyon, Finn, Archer, Avery and Eliza; as well as many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Ed was predeceased by his wife, Jean M. Higgins, and two siblings, James R. Higgins and Joanne H. Wolfley. A Celebration of Life gathering will be planned at a future date. Memorial donations may be made to the Winchester Fire Department, 32 Mount Vernon St., Winchester, MA 01890. Arrangements are in the care of the Carrier Family Funeral Home, 38 Range Road, Windham, NH 03087. To leave a message of condolence, please visit www.carrierfuneralhome.com or contact the family directly at [email protected].

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Published by The Winchester Star from Dec. 1 to Dec. 10, 2020.