Jay Michael Higgins
Monday, May 20, 1946
Date of Death:
Friday, January 5, 2018
Age:
71 years old
Visitation
Date: Wednesday January 10, 2018
Time: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home [ view map ]
Second Visitation
Date: Thursday January 11, 2018
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Church of the Resurrection Catholic Church [ view map ]
Memorial Service
Date: Thursday January 11, 2018
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Church of the Resurrection Catholic Church [ view map ]
Burial
Location: Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery Preston [ view map ]
Monday, May 20, 1946
Date of Death:
Friday, January 5, 2018
Age:
71 years old
Monday, May 20, 1946
Date of Death:
Friday, January 5, 2018
Age:
71 years old
Jay Michael Higgins
Jay Michael Higgins, age 71, passed away Friday, January 5, 2018 at Mayo Clinic Saint Mary’s campus. Jay was born May 20, 1946 to Mike and Lois Higgins at Saint Mary’s hospital in Rochester, the eldest of their five sons. Jay graduated from Lourdes High School in Rochester in 1964 where he was active in the football program. Following graduation Jay attended Rochester Junior College. On August 31,1966 Jay married Peggy Brown prior to enlisting in the military. During his service Jay was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. Upon discharge, Jay and Peggy moved to Morris, Illinois where they resided for 18 months before returning to Rochester. Jay spent the majority of his life working in the telecommunications field first with Northwestern Bell, then transitioning to AT&T where he retired after 26 years. He returned to the workforce after retirement working for a private client, then joined Mayo Clinic as a contracted Telecommunications specialist, where he retired from after five years.
Jay had many different interests he was involved with in multiple different wildlife conservation efforts on the local level including 25+ years in the local Ducks Unlimited chapter. Jay was an active member of the Rochester Youth Hockey League as a parent, coach and head referee for the league. He participated in adoration at Resurrection Catholic Church for more than 16 years. He enjoyed hunting and fishing with friends and family, especially those adventures that took him to numerous states and Canada. NASCAR and Friday morning coffee club with friends were also some of his favorite pastimes. After retiring, he and Peggy enjoyed spending extended time out West, enjoying the serenity as well as spending extended time in North Carolina with their family.
A heartfelt thank you to those past co-workers, friends and neighbors who enriched the last few years of Jay’s life with coffee club, visits, phone calls and just being there for him and Peggy. We would especially like to thank the wonderful staff on Francis 6C, for taking such great care of Jay these last four weeks.
Jay is survived by his wife, Peggy, and their children: Jennie Stankey of Pine Island, Brian (Carrie) Higgins of Shallotte, NC, and Chris Higgins of Rochester. 10 grandchildren: Ashley Stankey, Will Stankey, Marybeth (Nick) Lanier, Heather Higgins, Michael Higgins, Ben Higgins, Kristina Higgins, Andrew Higgins, Zoe Stevens, Violet Stevens and two great-grandchildren Ava and Wally Lanier. Four brothers: Tim (Judy) Higgins of Sun City, AZ, Jeff (Diane) Higgins of West St. Paul, MN, Matt (Mary Ann) Higgins of Geneva, MN, and Kevin (Nita) Higgins of Rochester, as well as many nieces, nephews and extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be Wednesday January 10, 2018 at Macken Funeral Home from 4:00-7:00 PM with a second visitation Thursday January 11, 2018 at Resurrection Catholic Church of Rochester at 10:00AM followed by a Memorial Service at 11:00AM. Lunch and burial at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Preston, MN will follow.
Condolences
The family of Jay Michael Higgins has received the following condolences.
Dearest Peggy,
We send you our love and sympathy for your loss.
We will miss Jay walking out to get Rowdy and having Rowdy always coming over to give us a quick hello before crossing the street to home!
We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers, and will stop over to see you in a week or so, when things will begin to settle for you.
But, we are here for you if you need anything!
Sincerely,
Cathy and Stephen Dudley
My sincere sympathies to Jay's family. As a former member of Mayo's Telecomm unit, it was my pleasure to have worked with Jay on many projects over many years. He was an open, honest, funny man, and I'm sure he will be greatly missed by his loved ones. Blessings to all.
Good Guy, straight shooter ( but NOT with his Driver ) lots of great stories. Always looked forward to the reunion golf event which he and Dan Hoban did such a good job running. My favorite story ( which I've told many times ) regarding running into some one when you least expect too. 1968 while walking thru a forest 6000+ miles from home assigned to a UN mission, I hear someone yell my name and from a distance out of a tank pops Jay. Wow, what a great feeling and time we had that afternoon. He as a friend, classmate, and over all good person will be missed.
Peggy and Family,
Jay was an exceptional mentor and friend and, if not for his outstanding service as an AT&T Account Manager, and creating such high expectations of service, I may have never found myself moved to Rochester MN to try to follow in his footsteps.
Later, when I got a chance to work with him directly, I had the opportunity to see what an exceptional man he truly was. Kind, funny, consistent and full of integrity. I truly enjoyed the time I spent with him and very much appreciated his taking the time to help me understand my new surroundings while he offered his insight. and support
We had a lot of fun working together and I'm blessed to have been able to count him as a friend.
My thoughts remain with you and your family as you face his passing.
Regards
Steve Gallagher
What a gift to have known Jay at and through Lourdes even if we I only got to visit with him every few years at our Rochester get-togethers.
I most appreciated the few times I could witness him in action with the likes of Sehl, Hoban, Berens , Nigon and others at the
Friday coffee laugh fests. Thanks for the memories Jay!
Peace,
Jon Hrabe
Well, old friend, your struggles are no over and you are at peace. Jay and I met at Northwestern Bell in the early '70's. Always with the impish smile and a good word. Although he worked in Rochester and I was in Mpls., we formed a bond to the end. And speaking of 'end', Jay and I found ourselves working together at the 'end' of our careers on Mayo Clinic. Me the vendor, Jay the boss!!!
Jay-bird, I won't be at either of your services due to the flu. Please don't cock that eyebrow and look down on me.......because I will be there in spirit.
My deepest condolences go out to the Higgins family and especially to Peggy. Jay was my closest friend through high school. Jay enjoyed life, lived it well and had a unique style where it was great to be around him. He will live in my memories. Fishing, hunting, hockey, golf and family. I envy him. He was a wonderful human being.
Story: Our group (Jay, Dick Armbrust, Tom Buski and I); did a lot of road pheasant hunting. Jay’s dad, Mike, sometimes went with us but more often than not we were without parental supervision. When it was my turn to drive, I drove our 62 Plymouth. I got it up to 110 mph which was significant for a 6 cylinder car. The next weekend Jay had to try to top that with his 8 cylinder 1954 Ford station wagon. He got it up to 115 mph. On the next weekend hunting trip we had a flat tire on Jay’s station wagon. The tires were what Jay called racing slicks i.e. no tread left. A thin tire fabric was all that was left and you could almost push your finger through it. I shudder to think of what would have happened if a tire had blown. God was looking after us.
Story: On a separate trip in snow and ice conditions Jay spun the station wagon into a ditch with several feet of snow. We were helplessly stuck and walked to the nearest farmhouse to get help. We asked the farmer to pull us out with his tractor. He refused saying that his tractor couldn’t possibly get us out of that ditch. He said that his grain truck, on the other hand, should have no trouble. He hooked his truck up and didn’t even wait for Jay to straighten out the front wheels. We were lucky to have found this farmer. God was looking after us.
I loved Jay’s parents. They were really cool and fun people. My parents seemed stuffy by comparison. Jay seemed to absorb their laid back disposition. I think that I have lived a stuffy life by comparison. May god continue to look after Jay.
To Jay's family and friends I offer my sincere thoughts and prayers over the passing of your dear one. Jay was very fortunate to have all of you to be with him during his final days. God Bless all of you. I was a classmate at Lourdes High School with Jay. He always had a smile on his face and was such a nice friend to everyone.
So sorry for your loss. I know your heart aches right now and I am praying God will soften your pain. I did not know Jay, but I know his son Brian very well. Brian is a wonderful father and friend and I think I know where he learned these ways. May Jay RIP and watch over his family from above.
What a rich and wonderful life Jay lived! His extended family and so many friends will continue to be enriched by his memory and ongoing Presence in their lives.
Peggy and family,
Please accept my condolences. I graduated from Lourdes with Jay and remember him fondly.
Pat/Patty Towey Gibbons
Stilwell LS
I will be forever grateful to Jay for his faithful visits to Ed when he was dealing with his health issues and unable to leave the house. We will miss that Irish face!