Robert Nash Higgins

Robert Nash Higgins “Pete”, 86, of Atlanta, GA passed away on August 21, 2019, at Piedmont Hospital. He was the only child of Alfred Nash Higgins and Edith Haworth Higgins. He was born on July 7, 1933, in Tampa, FL. After growing up on Davis Island, in Tampa, he attended Hillsborough High School, and graduated from Sewanee Military Academy in Sewanee, TN. As an accomplished athlete he attended The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He was a four-year letterman of the swim team and a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. After he received both a B.S. in Business Administration, and a Masters Degree in Education, he moved to Atlanta, GA to begin his 57 year career at The Westminster Schools. In addition to his career as a teacher and swim coach at The Westminster Schools he created the first year round swim team in GA, the Atlanta Swimming Association. He was the recipient of numerous national and state awards over the years, including National High School Federation National Coach of the Year twice and Georgia Athletic Coaches Association “Circle of Achievement” Award. He was a 57 year member of Trinity Presbyterian Church where he served as an usher and as an Elder. He was a Board member of the ALS Association of GA after his son’s diagnosis of ALS. Pete is survived by Nell Furgason Higgins, his loving wife of 63 years, daughter Blynn Higgins Masters, her husband George William Masters; grandchildren Steely Marie Masters, Hadley Mayer Masters, Robert Carter Higgins, Kathleen Elizabeth Higgins; and predeceased by his son Robert Nash Higgins, Jr.; his sister-in-law Jo Ann Uptmor, brother-in-law Weldon Uptmor (deceased), her children Anne Harper Slaughter, and Russell Harper, and brother-in-law Samuel L. Furgason, Jr., Joanne V. Furgason. The family wishes to express profound gratitude to our wonderful caregivers for all their support, especially Ellen Alston, Adelaide White, Harriett Ebanks Thorpe, and Ima Johnson. Memorial service will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3003 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30327 on August 29, at 1:00pm. A reception will follow. Visitation is August 28, from 4:00-6:00pm at H.M. Patterson & Son– Spring Hill, 1020 Spring St. NW Atlanta, GA 30309. In lieu of flowers family suggests donations to: ALS Association of GA, Trinity Presbyterian Church or The Westminster Schools swim program.