HIGGINS, Frances ‘Fanny’
Sydney Mines
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear wife and mother Frances ‘Fanny’ Higgins. For the past three plus years, Fan, who was 84 years old, fought a courageous and determined battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She passed away on May 25, 2017. She was born in North Sydney to John Olson and Viola McGeen.
She spent a brief time living and working in Niagara Falls and then returned home to her beloved Cape Breton where she married her husband of 67 years, settled down in Sydney Mines and raised their three very active boys.
Fanny was a parishioner at Immaculate Conception Church and a member of the CWL. Her children remember the countless pans of squares she baked for one occasion or another.
Fanny was also a member of what she called (Club) which was a very close knit group of friends consisting of Fanny, Annie Mae Higgins, Eileen Gordon, Audrey Cameron, Patsy Clarke, Trudy Young, Detta Haley, Kay LeBlanc, Theresa Barrie, and Kay Young. Their picture was front and centre at the “Home” and until recently she could tell us, with great pride, all of their names.
When her boys were young and playing hockey she was well known in the rink as their avid and enthusiastic cheerleader.
She often reminisced fondly about working with the boys, at the kitchen table, on their homework. She drilled them on spelling and all of the notes in their scribblers. The drilling stopped when all the answers were correct.
She and James and the boys spent many wonderful summer days at the cabins in George’s River (Christies).
Her story cannot be told without mentioning her considerable talent cooking and especially baking. In her children’s’ eyes nobody could bake like their ‘Ma’.
Every child in the neighbourhood knew her voice as she relentlessly called the boys in for supper or to go in the house for the night.
She is survived by her husband, James; her sons, Brian (Alberta) (Marion, Ingonish), Russ (Florence) Stellarton, Jeff (Leeann) Milford; grandchildren, Ryan (Dundee), Stephanie Karpa (Mike), Calgary, Kalan (Madison Fraser), Fox Creek, AB, Halle and Reese, and three great grandchildren, Aurora, Skylar and MacKenzie. Besides her parents Fanny was predeceased by her loving sister, Catherine (Sis) Boutilier. Visitation will take place at the JM Jobes Funeral Home, 635 Main St., Sydney Mines on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A Funeral Mass to celebrate her life will take place on Wednesday, May 31, at 10 a.m. at Holy Family Parish, Sydney Mines with Fr. James Oliver officiating, with reception to follow in the Parish Hall.
Family flowers only. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Nova Scotia or the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
During one of her last conversations with one of the boys, her last words to him were, “Take care of yourself, say hello to the kids and give them a kiss from Nanny”.
Words of comfort may be sent to the family at www.jmjobesfuneralhome.com.