Doris Higgins

July 2, 1926 – January 13, 2018

Doris Zoe Rogerson was born in Los Angeles, California on July 2, 1926 to Thomas and Gertrude Rogerson. The family, including Doris, older brother Tom and baby sister Betty, moved from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon when the children were young.

From an early age, Doris developed a strong sense of order and duty. The family lived a humble life, and Doris did her best to help out. She and Betty each had just one school dress, which was immediately hung up and put aside in favor of play clothes when school was over. Doris took pride in helping the family financially as soon as she was able. She quit high school in her sophomore year at Franklin High School in Portland in order to bring money to the family. With pay from her typesetting job in downtown Portland, she helped Betty buy some of the nice clothes she desired, and loaned money to Tom to buy a car. She was very proud that she purchased her own car, a 1936 Ford (to the best of our memories), which she then taught herself to drive.

Soon after World War II, she met Charles Higgins, who had recently returned from the war. The two married on January 2, 1947 in a double ceremony with sister Betty and Jack Matthews. Both marriages endured until the death of one spouse—Chuck and Doris 59 years, until Chuck passed in 2006, and the Matthews until Betty’s death in 2016.

A few years after they married, Doris and Chuck welcomed son Tom, and Ron joined the family two years later. The family was complete 9 years later with the birth of Mike.

As a housewife and mother, Doris took great pride in the appearance of her home, yard and family. She felt that, since Chuck worked so hard to provide for the family financially, it was up to her to manage everything else. The house was clean, the yard immaculate, not a hair out of place nor a shirttail hanging out—not easy with 4 men in the family.

The family spent a lot of time camping and fishing, and everyone has fond memories of Detroit Lake. Doris also enjoyed athletics, encouraging the boys to participate in school sports. She drove to games and practices, and enjoyed watching them play. For herself, she bowled and golfed, excelling in both.

Doris was a devoted wife and mother, and before long, an involved grandmother. Mark, Brian, Jason, Jordan, Caven and Chloe all benefited from her care and attention. Later, great-granchildren (Sage, Declan, Braven, Madison, Jack, Evan, and Sebastian) joined the family, and she loved them all. She especially appreciated the addition of spouses to the family, because it kept things from being “so male.”

After the kids left the nest, Doris and Chuck enjoyed their time together much as they did when the kids were at home. They traveled in their trailer, fishing and spending time outdoors. Later, they bought property adjoining the home of Doris’ brother Tom and his wife, Jean, and built an A-frame cabin at Crooked River Ranch in central Oregon. They made many trips over the years, enjoying each one of them.

In her 91 ½ years, Doris lived a full life. She frequently expressed to her loved ones that she had thoroughly enjoyed it. She will be missed.