Obituary of James M. Higgins

James M. “Jim” Higgins, 75, of Tidioute, PA, died at 6:00 PM Sunday January 31, 2016 at his residence following an extended illness due to complications from acute myeloid leukemia. Jim was born on January 17, 1941 in Johnstown, PA, a son of the late Manuel and Mary Frances McGahan Higgins and moved to Erie, PA on April 1, 1945. He was a former Deacon and Elder at the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Erie and an Elder at the Tidioute Presbyterian Church. He had attended Harding Grade School and Strong Vincent Jr. High and graduated from Strong Vincent High School, class of 1958. He was a member of the Strong Vincent Band and Orchestra playing the French horn. He then attended Behrend College in Erie. He was a graduate of Eckles College of Mortuary Science in Philadelphia in September of 1960. Jim had been an Erie Times paperboy and had worked at several boat liveries at Ferncliff in Erie. From 1957 until August 31, 1975 he was employed at the Donald C. Burton Funeral Home in Erie. At that time he purchased the former Sage Funeral Home in Tidioute which he operated for forty years until August 31, 2015. Jim was a life member of the Tidioute Area Volunteer Fire Dept. and of the Tidioute Lions Club. He had served on the Tidioute Borough Council various times over 24 years acting as Boro Council President for 14 of those years. He was a member of the Warren, Elk, and McKean County Funeral Directors Association serving as president from January of 1976 until January of 2015. He had also served on the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association Board of Directors (District 10) from July of 2006 until June of 2012. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife of 43 years, Dorothy Eva Ford Higgins on April 13, 2006, and a sister, Mrs. Donald (Mary) Higgins Catlin on January 29, 2015. Jim is survived by his wife Jeri-Lee Spargo Higgins who he married April 26, 2008; three children, James Ford Higgins of Oil City, John Tod Higgins of Warren, and Capt. Pamela Lyn Coughlin and husband Drew of Walnut Creek, CA; two step-children, Joanne Manning, and David Michael Manning and wife Margie of Tidioute; six grandchildren, Dakota, Branden, and Jesse Gourley, and David, Jr., Ethan and Clair Manning. After his second marriage, Jim became fond of farming and became an animal lover to Jeri’s dogs, Orkan and Cooper; his two horses, Chance and Sky; two mules, Dolly and Cappy; and the miniature donkey Buddy. He learned to brush hog and hay fields, mow lots of grass, design their new barn, make some changes to their home, and enjoyed the incredible wildlife that surrounded him. Friends will be received at Jim’s former funeral home 3 Elm Street Tidioute on Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 PM. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 AM Thursday at the Tidioute First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Ralph Culp officiating. Interment will be in Triumph Swedish Union Cemetery. Jim suggested that memorials be made to either Tidioute Area Volunteer Fire Dept., Tidioute Lions Club, to the Tidioute Library Book Fund, or to Hospice of Warren County.