Jerry Lin Higgins

Jerry Lin Higgins
December 27, 1944 – January 01, 2020

Jerry Lin Higgins CW4 (ret) passed away at the age of 75, on January 1, 2020 in Harker Heights, Texas. The gathering of friends and family will begin at 3 pm on Saturday, January 11th, followed by  a memorial service at 4 pm at Callaway Jones Funeral home at 3001 South College in Bryan, Texas.

Jerry Lin Higgins was born to Wesley Higgins and Florence Yennie Higgins in Riverton, Wyoming on December 27th, 1944. He graduated from Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming and enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1962, serving through 1988 when he retired from the Reserves as a Chief Warrant Officer 4. After first being assigned to a tank battalion, Jerry went to flight school in 1967 and became a helicopter pilot. That same year he met and married a sweet Texas lady named Arie Etta Dent. He then deployed to Vietnam in 1968, flying UH-1 Hueys with the 4th Aviation Battalion of the 4th Infantry Division. During the war he survived two crashes due to enemy fire and a mechanical malfunction, earning a Bronze Star and 24 Air Medals. After his Army career he continued to pilot helicopters for various companies along the Gulf Coast.

He married the lovely and spirited Linda Faye Higgins on April 2, 1980 and remained so for 24 years until her untimely death. On June 11, 2005 he remarried Arie Etta Dent Higgins and they resided in Lumberton and then Harker Heights.

He is preceded in death by his parents Wesley Higgins and Florence Grigg Coons, his wife Linda Faye Higgins, and his grand-daughter Meagan Marie Ingle.

His wife, Arie Etta Higgins, his daughter Dawn Higgins Mitchell and her husband Robert, his son Ernest Stanford and his wife Laura, his daughter Jacqueline Higgins Thies and her husband Doug, and his daughter Georgia Malene Stanford Ingle and her husband Melvin survive him. His siblings are Richard Higgins and his wife Gloria of Denver, Colorado, his sister Vicki Taylor of Casper, Wyoming and his Brother Bill Grigg and his wife Claudia of Evansville, Wyoming. He also leaves 17 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Jerry was a soldier, pilot, and patriotic American to his core. His friends and family will miss his hilariously audacious humor, his western grit and pragmatism, and his penchant to be excessively adamant about anything of his choosing.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to St Jude’s Hospital to support the fight against childhood cancers.

Express condolences at CallawayJones.com

Condolences

  1. Malene, my heart goes out to you and your family on the passing of your Dad! He was a Blessing to your family and a great man to visit with! Prayers going up for You! May He RIP, Amen! ♥️

  2. We are so sorry for your loss, Jackie! I know you have many precious memories. God bless you. Love, Don & Barbara Sisk

  3. Vicki, I am so sorry for your loss of this vibrant man! My prayers go out to you and your family during this time of great loss and sorrow. I hope that you can find peace reflecting on the many wonderful memories you have shared.
    Love you, Laurie Christopherson

  4. Definitely a man who said what he meant and meant what he said. I am so grateful for the brief time I had to be you and Linda’s son-in-law, and still hold on to many of the ‘pearls of wisdom’ you fed me during that time! You always lived life your way, with confidence and a certain kind of arrogance that I’ll always be envious of! Thanks for being one of the most colorful personalities that will probably ever cross my path in life, and may you rest in peace.

    My belated condolences to all of the family.

  5. I served as a huey pilot with Jerry in Viet Nam. A truly great guy. I’ve thought about him over the years. So sorry to learn of his passing. We were in d troop 2nd of the 1st cav. It was great to know him.

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