Kenneth Higgins

KENNETH S. HIGGINS

Kenneth S. Higgins or Kenny to his family and friends physically left us on the morning of February 12, 2019. He would have been 94 years old next month. Physically, because those of us who loved him and know how much he loved us, will always keep him close.

Kens parents, Stanley and Edyth Higgins, were from Bradford, England, having emigrated from there to join the LDS Church in the U.S. They settled in Salt Lake City, where Kenny was born on March 31, 1925, the youngest of three children. He had two older sisters, Margorie Thomas and Muriel Steele, now deceased. When he was a teenager the family moved to Los Angeles, where he attended Montebello High School, and later they moved to Whittier.

When WWII erupted, he joined the army at the age of 19 and after a short training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, was shipped over to Europe, where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Frost bitten feet caused him to be shipped back to England, but he was lucky and his feet were saved. After his discharge from hospital, he was given some leave that allowed him to look up his English relatives. He liked to recount how his aunt and uncle and the neighbors would chip in their food coupons, unbeknown to him, so that he could have bacon and eggs for breakfast. When he returned to duty, the war was over and he spent the last part of his military service working in Paris in the office.

On returning home he went to work for Fruehauf Trailer as a credit manager in Los Angeles. In 1954 he met June, who is English, and they were married in November 1955. Ken and June had two children, Christine and Brent, with whom they are very close. Christine has five children - Jeni, Diana, Shellie, Erica and Scott. There have 15 great grandchildren: Jeni - has Katie, Kellen, Kason and Kamden; Diana - Christian, Aria, Hayden and Landon; Shellie Brielle, Brinley, Aleah and Avilynn; and Erica Oliver, Wyatt and Dixie. Brent has a son, Cole.

In 1956 Ken got a job in the meat business and held positions as office manager at different companies through the years gaining a reputation as Mr. Reliable. If Ken took on a job, you could be sure that it would be done on time and accurately. He had a mind that could remember figures like a telephone directory. He was one of those people who liked everything done yesterday. He was on the quiet side, but with a great sense of humor, selfless and always willing to help when whenever he could. Everyone liked Ken.

Ken and June enjoyed travelling. The family would visit Junes relatives in London and extend their visits to include a visit to the continent. Theyd get a car or train and just travel around to explore. While in London he especially enjoyed going to the theatre to see musical shows. Les Miserables was his favorite.
He was an avid sports fan and rooted for the local teams the Lakers, the Rams, the Trojans and the Angels but his heart belonged to baseball, specifically the Yankees. One of his dearest possessions was a baseball that had been signed for him by the team when his Dad took him to one of their games as a small boy. As a young boy growing up in Salt Lake City, he would follow the box scores in the papers just as he did in his final days.

The last few years were difficult for him. He was a very independent person and the gradual failure of his eyesight caused him to have to give up driving and reading. He enjoyed the visits from his grandchildren and their children when they came to Whittier to see him, and his yearly visit to his daughter in Phoenix, where he got to see the Spring Training. He made other visits to see his son and his family in Ventura. He loved dogs and his little dog, Lucky, was always by his side.

He would say that he had a perfect life until recently. We pray that he has found his perfect life again. We will miss him.