Virginia Faye Higgins

Faye Petty Higgins passed peacefully from this life on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. She was 86. On Aug. 4, 1925, she was born Virginia Faye Petty, the second of three children to Virginia Pullen Petty Clark and William Boyd Petty. She is survived by her sister, Gloria Petty Young; and her brother, William Boyd Petty Jr. Faye married Sept. 14, 1944. She was preceded in death by her husband, George Joseph Higgins, and her parents. Left to cherish her memories are her eight children, Colleen Higgins Elam and husband Joseph Barton Elam, George Jay Higgins and wife Felicia Horne Higgins, Laurie Higgins, Bonnie Higgins, Cindy Higgins, Bliss Higgins and husband Wade Adams, Clay Higgins and wife Becca Wynn Higgins, and Tammie Higgins Alsup and husband James Alsup; 22 grandchildren, Dr. Corey Elam Goldsmith, Kindel Elam, Wyatt Higgins, Cress Boswell Johnson, Leaf Boswell, Jessa Queyrouze Barthels, Zachary Queyrouze, Carson Broom, Sage Accardo, Rye Cooper, Graham Cooper, Chris Adams, Danica Adams, Rachel Adams, Haley Higgins, Joseph Higgins, Heather Higgins, Blane Alsup, Dara Alsup, Kaven Alsup, Cyrus Alsup, and Fenix Alsup; and 10 great-grandchildren. So many people are left to remember and there are so many memories. Faye lived her first 43 years in New Orleans, then moved to the Covington area on the north shore of Lake Pontchatrain. After Hurricane Katrina, she lived in Baton Rouge, most recently at Landmark, where she was cared for by her friend Shirley Sterling. Faye was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-aunt, great-grandmother and a friend. She was a dancer, a songwriter, a Scout leader, a PTA leader, a cook, a school volunteer, a seamstress, a secretary, a businesswoman and a bridge champion. She managed, she negotiated, she planned, she organized, she orchestrated. She read, she studied, she worked, she played. She lived her life with purpose. She was generous, kind and loving. She cared deeply and fiercely. Visitation and funeral services at St. John's United Methodist Church on Highland Roadin Baton Rouge on Wednesday, Dec. 28, from 9 a.m. until funeral service at 11 a.m. The service will be led by the Rev. Jo Ann Cooper. Burial at Greenwood Cemetery in New Orleans the same afternoon. There will be a brief graveside service at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. Dr. Walter Baer, of the Chapel of the Holy Comforter, will preside at the graveside service in New Orleans.