Louis Donald (Don) Higgins, 88, passed away peacefully on March 19, 2018. He was born in New Orleans on Dec. 18, 1929 to Louis Guttman and Esther Giardina Higgins. He studied chemical engineering at Tulane University, during which time he met his bride to be, Janet Read. They married on August 16, 1952, moved to Metairie, and raised 6 active children. Don was a radar specialist in the army before spending 23 years at Kaiser Aluminum as a chemical engineer. After retiring early, he worked at Apex as an employment recruiter and Gertrude Gardner as a real estate agent. Don enjoyed life to the fullest and was an avid tennis player, sailor, and pilot. He possessed a keen (dry) sense of humor and had a talent for solving puzzles and math problems. He trained his children to be fiercely competitive as he taught them important skills such as playing ping-pong, chess, tennis, juggling balls, and dabbling in the stock market. For the past 4 years, Don spent every day at Chateau de Notre Dame comforting his wife who had a stroke in 2014. Don is survived by his wife of 65 years, Janet Read Higgins, his children: Linda Landsmann, Liz (Tim) Kraft, Sharon Higgins, Tyler (Rosemarie Falcone) Higgins, grandchildren: Jeremy, Jacob, David, Tanya, Kristy, Ryan, Robby, Chris, Kelly, Olivia, and 8 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by his sons: Steve (Joel) and Larry. A military service is planned for Don at Leitz-Eagan, 4747 Veterans Blvd, in Metairie on Saturday, March 24; visiting hours at 9:30 a.m., mass at 11:00 a.m. Don will be interred at St. Charles Borromeo cemetery, between Thibodaux and Raceland.
