Joan Gallagher Higgins
(September 12, 1927 - May 28, 2012)

Joan "Jody" Gallagher Higgins, 84, of Huntington, died suddenly Monday, May 28, 2012 in St. Mary's Medical Center with her family by her side. Jody was born September 12, 1927 in Clifton Forge, Va., a daughter of the late Frank Marshall and Margery Alice Tyler Gallagher. She attended Mary Washington College and was a graduate of Madison College. Jody was employed as a dietician at Mary Baldwin College and later was employed as a Home Economist at Virginia Electric Power in Clifton Forge, Va.. Jody later worked at C. F. Reuschlein Jewelers in Huntington. A member of the Creative Quilters Club of Huntington. In addition to her numerous awards for quilting, she was also very talented in the Culinary Arts. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her sister, Helen Powell Gallagher Kerby and a brother-in-law, George F. Kerby. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, William Paul Higgins Jr.; one son and daughter, Paul Marshall Higgins (Jane) of Richmond, Va., and Bonnie Higgins Cunningham Carpenter (Tim) of Huntington; four grandchildren, Captain Patrick Marshall Higgins, Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, David Leslie Higgins, Richmond, Va., Taylor Marie Cunningham and Kelly Layne Cunningham both of Huntington; four nieces and one nephew, Dimmitt Kerby Houff (Jim), Ann Kerby Wright( Roy) both of Clifton Forge, Martha Manner-Brown (Dennis) of Fredericksburg, Va., Marguerite Gasiorowski of Williamsburg, Va. and Morrison Manner Jr. (Meryl) of Northern Va.; a sister-in-law Jean Ann Manner of Clifton Forge and numerous great nieces and nephews. A gathering of family and friends will be held Thursday, May 31, 2012 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Klingel-Carpenter Mortuary and Saturday, June 2, 2012 from noon until 2:00 p.m. at Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge, Va., where services for Jody will start at 2:00 p.m. by Rev. W. Pembroke Hall. Interment will follow in Mountain View Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Cowpasture River Preservation Association, P.O. Box 215, Millboro, VA. 24460, or the organization of one's choice.