Vada Marie Higbee

Vada Marie (Lind) Higbee, 94, went peacefully to Heaven on Dec 17, 2020 following a courageous battle against Alzheimer’s. She trusted in Jesus as her Lord and Savior and was a joy to family and friends.

Vada was born December 21, 1925 in Grand Forks, ND to Elmer and Iva Lind, Niagara, ND. She graduated from Niagara High School in 1942, then attended St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN., where she was accepted into the prestigious St. Olaf Choir, an honor she never took lightly. She graduated from St. Olaf in 1946 with a BA in Education.

On May 26, 1946, she married Jay Anders Higbee in McCanna, ND. They lived in Syracuse NY, Puyallup, WA, and Seattle, WA where in addition to working as a teacher and secretary, she became well known for her excellence as a pianist and organist, most notably at Seattle’s Olympic View Church of the Brethren, Trinity Presbyterian Church, and Ballard Baptist Church. She played for hundreds of weddings and funerals, accompanied dozens of instrumentalists, was pianist for the University of Washington Faculty Wives Club, and accompanied the Seattle Norwegian Male Chorus at Benaroya Hall.

She was a WONDERFUL mom who parented with kindness and wisdom. She loved attending ALL of her kids’ concerts, and was a huge fan of the Husky Marching Band, especially when any of her kids or grandkids were in it! She also enjoyed going to Seattle Symphony and Pacific Northwest Ballet performances, and for thirty-plus years held season tickets to the UW President’s Piano Series at Meany Hall. She helped design her house, built furniture, was an incredibly fast and accurate typist, and maintained a beautiful yard. She grew as a Christian by attending the Institute of Basic Youth Conflicts and Bible Study Fellowship, and for years was a faithful prayer partner with daughter Marsha. In addition, she was an avid Huskies and Mariners fan and made sure her caregivers the last few years would tune her TV to all the games. But foremost on her list of pleasures and accomplishments was being in the St. Olaf Choir.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one son, Roger; and one sister, Alice Ann Christian. She is survived by two daughters, Ellyn (Steve) Roe, Seattle; and Marsha (Kirk) Kallander, Oak Harbor, WA; one son, Scott, Seattle; one brother, Robert Lind, Fargo, N.D.; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and seven nieces and nephews.

A public celebration of her life will be held when pandemic issues allow.

The family suggest memorial gifts might be directed to the St. Olaf College Choir.

Write check to: St Olaf College; Memo Line: "For St. Olaf Choir in Memory of Vada Lind Higbee"

Mail to: St. Olaf Fund, St. Olaf College, 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057

OR go to https://stolaf.alumniq.com/giving/to/default.

Select OTHER, Type CHOIR, Select any choir-related option.

In INSTRUCTIONS box Type " In Memory of Vada Lind Higbee"

For a Seattle option, we suggest donations to:

Ballard Baptist Church

2004 NW 63rd St

Seattle, WA 98107