Boyd Victor Higgins Jr.

Boyd Victor Higgins Jr. was born on a farm in Marion County, Kan., on Dec. 20, 1925, the son of Boyd Sr. and Hazel Jones Higgins.

He was a graduate of Marion (Kan.) High School and Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia, Kan., he went on to serve in the U.S. Marine Corp from 1944 to 1946 with the 3rd Marine Division in the Pacific Theater including Iwo Jima and China.

Boyd was member of Phi Sigma Epsilon where he met Virginia Sue Green, they married in April of 1949. In 1951, they moved to Hutchinson where Boyd was employed by Decker and Mattison.

In 1957, he started Higgins Soft Water. His son Jack joined the business in 1975, incorporating in 1979. Boyd retired in 1989.

He was a founding member of Kansas Water Quality Association and member of Trinity United Methodist Church. Boyd enjoyed the outdoors, hunting, fishing, golf, and many celebrations with friends and family throughout his life.

Boyd is survived by and fondly remembered by his wife Virginia; sons, Dan and his wife Jan, Leawood, Jack and his wife Patty, Hutchinson; daughter, Julie Higgins, Mendocino, Calif.; brother, John, Topeka; three sisters; Hazel Selvy, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sandy and her husband Gail Dody, Wichita, Karen Smith, Hutchinson; and four grandchildren, Kip Higgins, Corey Higgins and his wife Molly, Joel Higgins, and Jette Higgins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Bill; and sisters, Ethel Collett, Jessie Bowers, Leona Helmer, and Rosaline Stinchcomb.

Cremation has taken place and a private family celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Friends may sign his memorial book, available at Elliott Mortuary and Crematory.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Disabled American Veterans or Hospice and Homecare of Reno County in care of the mortuary. Visit http://www.elliottmortuary.com to leave a condolence or remembrance for Boyd’s family.