Patricia Ann Higgins

CASTINE –Our mother, Patricia Ann (McColgan) Higgins, passed away at home on June 2 after years of declining health, with several of her children nearby. Pat was born at home in South Boston, MA, on March 7, 1933, the youngest child of Anne (Hartin) and Michael J. McColgan. Pat grew up on Columbia Road in South Boston and attended St. Brigid’s Catholic Church and the Nazareth School. Pat married Raymond F. (Jim) Higgins, Jr. of Taunton, MA, on February 22, 1955. She always said Jim would never forget their anniversary because it was a federal holiday: George Washington’s birthday. She never quite got over the federal government moving the holiday to the third Monday in February, since it would never fall on February 22 again. Pat and Jim were married for 40 years, until his death in 1995. Jim was in the US Navy for 20 years and he and Pat moved up and down the east coast with their growing family. Eventually the Navy stationed Jim in the Tidewater Virginia area, where he was moved from base to ship to another base and another ship, while Pat stayed at the house on Pontiac Road. After Jim retired from the Navy, they moved to Castine, where Jim taught at Maine Maritime Academy for 20 years. Pat always enjoyed playing bridge, first as a Navy wife, then in Castine where she taught many in town to play so she would always have enough people for two tables. She was a Red Cross volunteer and worked at many blood drives over the years. She was a volunteer driver for F.I.S.H. when she lived in Virginia Beach and later drove for Bagaduce Area Health Resources of Castine. She loved bowling and was in several leagues, and she played golf when the weather was good. She attended myriad softball games, baseball games, football games, basketball games, ice hockey games, field hockey matches, soccer matches and swim meets that her children and grandchildren participated in, though she missed the ending of many games and matches when the scores got too close. She and Jim would occasionally bundle up in the winter and go sliding at the golf course with their kids. Pat was a terrible passenger on car trips and knitted many afghans over the years as a way to not see where she and Jim were going. She also did beautiful needlework and made humorous cross-stitch pieces that hang on her children’s walls and in her home. At Pat’s house, there was always room for friends and friends of friends. She and Jim welcomed MMA students who needed a bit of home and Sunday dinner. There was always room for one more at the backyard cookouts, the Sunday brunches where Jim made Eggs Benedict, cocktails parties that lasted into the evening, and late-night gatherings in the kitchen, where Pat made sure everyone was fed, too. Pat was a member of the Castine Garden Club and the Maine Maritime Academy Faculty Wives Club. She was a communicant at Our Lady of Holy Hope Catholic Church in Castine. Midnight Mass at Christmas was a family tradition, no matter what time Mass was actually held. And for many years, she, and a group of volunteers from Our Lady of Holy Hope prepared a corned beef and cabbage supper for the community in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. She is survived by her children, Ann and husband Edward Matlack of St George; Eleish of Virginia Beach, VA; Raymond F. (Jake) and wife Stephanie of Pensacola, FL; Dennis and wife Maureen of Burgaw, NC; Martha and husband Gordon Garron of Goffstown, NH; Jean and husband Richard (R.T.) Holmes of Newmarket, NH; Kevin and wife Teresa of Stockton Springs; and Bernard of Castine; her grandchildren Casey Higgins, Barclay and Michelle Higgins, Steven and Joseph Garron, Katrina, Ryan and Frederick Holmes, and Marisa, Megan, Shannon and Gwen Higgins; and her great-grandchildren Ariana and Jeremy Smalley, Connor, Aislynn and Alaric Higgins, Lacie, Hayleigh and Makenzie Higgins, and Diana Broadley. She is also survived by her sister, Geraldine McColgan Brown of Shelton, CT, and her brother-in-law, Robert E. Higgins and wife Jane of Walpole, MA. She was predeceased by her beloved grandson, Sean Higgins, her parents and her siblings Mary Marguerite, Albert, Florence (Noonan), Delores, Anne (Cardinal), John, George, Kathleen, James, Eamon, Rita (Dwyer) and Donald. Our family would like to thank Stormi Wentworth, Gail Nowak, Mary Nevells, Julie Burke, Raeann Hodgson and Kathy Drinkert, who took care of our mother so ably and so thoughtfully. In lieu of flowers, we ask that contributions be made in our mother’s memory to the Castine Fire Rescue Volunteer Association or to Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County. Pat will be interred at the Castine Town Cemetery next to Jim. A memorial service will be held for our mother at a time when it is safe to do so and when her family and friends can be together again. Arrangements are under the care of Mitchell-Tweedie Funeral Home and Cremation Services Bucksport. (mitchelltweedie-young.com)