Edward Higgins

Edward D. Higgins, 93, of Center Point, Texas, passed away in his home on Sunday, September 10, 2017. Ed was born in Eliasville, Texas, to Winfred Higgins and Myrtle Phillips on June 11, 1924.\r\n\r\nHe finished high school after WWII, attended Texas Tech for one year, received his aeronautical Engineering degree from Purdue University in 1955, and his MBA from the University of Chicago in 1962.\r\n\r\nA World War II veteran, Edward served as gunner and crew chief on the B-17 Flying Fortress in 35 missions over Germany. After the war, Edward met and married the love of his life, Margaret Tullar, in Lubbock, Texas in 1946. They celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary on August 24. The other love of his life, flying, became a reality for him when he was accepted into the Aviation Cadet program and received his pilot's wings and commission as 2nd Lt. in 1950. Some highlights of his military career in the Air Force include working on the Gemini Project at Cape Canaveral, serving as an instructor pilot during the Korean War, and flying the C-130E in Vietnam. He retired from the Air Force in 1970 as a Lt. Col. and went to work for the county of San Bernardino, California, as the administrative assistant in the data processing division. Ed and Margaret moved to Center Point, Texas, in 1973. He served as Kerr County Commissioner for Precinct 2 from 1983 to 1986. He was a member of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), the Air Force Association, the Lions Club, and was a past Commander of the Center Point American Legion Post 583.\r\n\r\nHe received the Distinguished Service Award from the 379th Bombardment Group (H) in WWII, the Group Achievement Award from the Gemini Launch Operations Team, the DAR Medal of Honor from the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2007, and The Pioneers in Space Award for Technical Achievements at both the National (2011) and State (2012) levels.\r\n\r\nEdward is preceded in death by his sisters Mary Alice Hill, Sadie Brandt, and Pauline Farmer, and a brother, Winfred Jr. who died in childhood.\r\n\r\nHe is survived by his wife, Margaret, and their 4 children: Thomas Higgins, a systems analyst in Austin; Randy Higgins, retired, in Universal City; Patricia Higgins, retired librarian, in Center Point; and Shawn Higgins, retired firefighter, in Austin. He is also survived by his sisters Marge Croninger in Kansas, Linda Higgins-Moore and her husband, Dan, in Lubbock, Texas, and Betty Grubaugh in Arizona.\r\n\r\nVisitation will be held from 6-8 PM, Monday, September 18, 2017 at Grimes Funeral Chapels. Interment will be at 1:45 PM, Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio. No further services are planned. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville. The family invites you to send condolences at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the "Send Condolences" link.