Yvonne Higgins

Yvonne Higgins, age 89, of Early, Iowa died Monday, April 4, 2016 at her home in Early. Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Early. Burial will follow in the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will take place Wednesday, April 6, 2016 from 4-7:00 p.m. with a rosary at 4:00 p.m. and a vigil service at 6:30 p.m. all at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Early. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. HIGGINS, Yvonne (Lamoureux), May 19, 1926-April 4, 2016, of Early, Iowa. Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, Helen Yvonne Rose Cecelia Lamoureux was born to Leo and Evelyn Lamoureux in Akron, Iowa. She moved with them to a farm north of Varina, Iowa. Growing up there she fell in love with learning. After high school she furthered her education at Briar Cliff College, Sioux City where she became a Third Order Franciscan. After college she taught for four years before marrying Charles Higgins Jr. on November 5, 1949. Charles and Yvonne made their home in Lytton before buying their first farm in Odebolt, later moving their growing family to Early. She was blessed with 10 children, 30 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. She infused her life with kindness, gentleness, a love of nature and education. As a young woman, she loved the arts and was often found painting. As an adult she wrote children stories and volumes of her own poetry. Mostly, she loved her husband and children and enriched their lives with her charm, wit and kindness. Yvonne is survived by her loving husband, Charles Higgins Jr., Early, Iowa, and her 10 children: Theresa Meents of Omaha; Mark Higgins of Washington DC; Eileen (Joe) Hemer of Waverly; Mary Anne (Kevin) Paulsen of Austin TX; Martha (Jeff) Smith of Storm Lake; Liz (Keith) Kerfeld of North Oaks, MN; Mike (Mary) Higgins of Early; Ellen (Frank) Rieder of Jersey City, NJ; Barb (Shawn) Gillen of Beloit, WI and Kate (Cheryl) Higgins of Boulder, Co. In addition she is survived by 26 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren and her siblings Betty (Denis) Zigrang of Tulsa, OK; Art (Jeannie) Lamoureux of Belmond, IA; Pat (Emmet) Hammen of Storm Lake; Cheri (Del) Conneally of Alamo, TX and her husband’s siblings: Margaret (John) Degarmo of Des Moines; John Higgins of Galva and Edna (Bob) Miller of Des Moines. She was predeceased by her parents Leo and Evelyn Lamoureux, her brother Larry Lamoureux and her grandchildren Annette, Charlie, Colette and Henry. She was greatly loved and will be deeply missed by all.

Yvonne Higgins

May 19, 1926 - April 4, 2016