OBITUARY

Name:   Francis John Higgins

From:  Unknown, Pennsylvania
Date:  August, 1995

Emporium, Pa. - Francis J. Higgins, 75, of Willowwood Court died Thursday in St. Mary's Regional Medical Center.

He was born Nov. 8, 1919, in Eldred, a son of John and Ada Galutia Higgins,  On Dec. 12, 1944, he married Betty Mae Rutz who died Nov. 6, 1992.

A resident of Emporium for the past 55 years, Mr. Higgins had served with the U.S. Marine Corps. from 1941 until 1946 and participated in both the invasion of Guadalcanal and Peleliu Island while attached to the First Marine Division.  During the Korean Conflict, he was recalled to the Marines and served as a Staff Sergeant from 1948 until his discharge in 1951.

He was a Carpenter by trade and had been employed during the 1940s and 1950s by Laverne Rafferty and Motor Coils Manufacturing, both in Emporium.  Eventually, he became interested in politics and in 1967 was elected to the office of Cameron County Commissioner, a post he held until the time of his retirement in 1983.

Mr. Higgins was a member of the Emporium Fire Department for 48 years and served as Fire Chief for 13 years.  He was also a charter member of the Cameron County Ambulance Service and for 28 years served in various capacities from driver to board member.  He was also a member of American Legion Post 194 of Emporium and the Emporium VFW.

Survivors include one son, John J. Higgins of Tucson, AZ; two grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; three sisters, Lula Mae Manning of Eldred, Gertrude McCracken of Salem, NJ., and Vivian Whitman of Hornell, NY.; and one niece.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Coppersmith-Condon Funeral Home, where funeral and committal services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday with the Rev. James Moore officiating.  Burial will be in Newton Cemetery.  Military honors will be accorded by the Cameron County Memorial Detail.