ROCHELLE — Donald P. Higgs, 86, resident of Oakcrest Nursing Home since October of 2017, a long-time resident of Rochelle since 1968, died at 2:40 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2020 at Oakcrest Nursing Home in DeKalb from prostate cancer.
Don was born June 22, 1934 at home near Monica, Illinois, the son of Paul Doty and Lois Elvira (LaMay) Higgs. He married Margie Lee Bliss on Aug. 24, 1956 in Princeville, Illinois.
Preceding Don in death was his sister and one granddaughter.
Don is survived by his wife, Margie Higgs of Rochelle; one brother, Richard Higgs of Las Cruces, New Mexico; two daughters, Becky (Mike) Fritz of McHenry, and Melinda Higgs of Denver, Colorado; one son, David (Shawn) Higgs of Richmond, Illinois; and seven grandchildren.
A faithful Christian, Don was a 52 year member of the First Presbyterian Church in Rochelle where he served multiple years as a deacon and an elder. Don graduated from the University of Illinois in 1956 with degrees in Agriculture Sciences & Education and later earned a Masters degree in Education from the University of Illinois. Don taught high school agriculture classes in Southern and Central Illinois from 1956-1968. From 1968-1977, Don taught agriculture at the newly opened Kishwaukee College and then worked as an administrator at Kishwaukee College from 1977 until he retired from there in 1997. Don loved the outdoors, his family, playing with his grandchildren and adored his wife, Margie, and their 64 years of marriage together.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1 at the First Presbyterian Church of Rochelle with Pastor Doug Forsberg officiating. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service at the church. The funeral service will be live streamed on the Unger Horner Funeral Home Facebook page. Interment will follow in Lawnridge Cemetery in Rochelle.
Please visit www.ungerhorner.com to sign the online guest book.