James L Higgins

James (Jim) L. Higgins, 89, died peacefully on September 23, 2022, surrounded by his family, at his daughter’s home in Taos, New Mexico. He was born on November 8, 1932, in Gladewater, Texas to parents Laverne Bumpus Higgins and James C. Higgins. Throughout much of his youth, James and his brother Gene lived in Union Grove, Texas with their kind and devoted grandmother Lula Higgins and their grandfather Eugene Higgins

In 1939, when James started first grade, he met his future wife and the love of his life, Mary Louise Harrison. He and Louise were childhood friends, high school sweethearts, and graduated Union Grove High School together in 1950. They were married four years later in the Union Grove Baptist Church.

James served in the US Army during the Korean War and eventually attended the University of Texas on the GI Bill. He later earned a Master of Science and Engineering from Southern Methodist University. 

James went on to have a successful career in commercial construction, working for George A. Fuller and Texas Instruments, as well as Charter Builders, Inc. where he served as the company’s President for many years. He took pride in the projects that were completed under his leadership, including the extension of the Texas State Capital and other high-profile buildings around Dallas, Denver, Lexington, and Key West. In 1998, he semi-retired, though he remained busy working as a construction consultant and serving as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association. 

James and Louise lived in Dallas for more than 60 years, where they raised their three children, James, Tracy, and Valerie. James spent most vacations sharing his love for the outdoors with his family, camping, fishing, and backpacking in Colorado and New Mexico. Eventually, James and Louise bought a second home in Angel Fire, NM where they spent summers for more than 25 years and had the opportunity to introduce their seven grandchildren to their love of the mountains and trout fishing. James would patiently teach anyone to fish and often spent more time untangling the knots in his grandkids’ lines than casting his own. He never complained. James was a loving and generous husband and father who spent his life dedicated to his wife and encouraging his children’s education, success, and happiness. 

James is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Louise Higgins, his children, James Higgins (Marissa Higgins), Tracy Higgins (James Leitner), and Valerie Higgins (Steven Pennington), as well as grandchildren, James, Kathryn, and Jarrod Higgins, Aidan and Ethan Williams, and Claire and Owen Pennington. Three of his five grandsons carry the first or middle name of “James” in his memory and honor.

Services will be held at 10:00 am on October 7, 2022 in the Wildwood Chapel at Restland Funeral Home, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas, with internment immediately following.  A visitation will be held prior to the service at 9:30am. 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association (www.apdaparkinson.org).

Arrangements by Rivera Family Funeral Home. To share a memory, please visit our website at www.riverafuneralhome.com