Obituary of Rev. Canon E. Thomas Higgons

The son of the late Earl Thomas Higgons and Mary Lukens Higgons, he was born in Philadelphia on October 4, 1929 and was the husband of Florence Stanley Higgons. He had been a Greenwich resident since 1993 and had lived in Upper Deerfield Township prior to that. Canon Higgons began his service as Vicar in St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Stone Harbor from 1955-1958. From 1953-1954 he was a Seminarian at St. Mary's. His service as Rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Bridgeton spanned from 1959 until 1993 and he was made an Honorary Canon of Trinity Cathedral in Trenton by Bishop Banyard during his years at St. Andrew's. Canon Higgons served on the Board of Missions, the Standing Committee and was the Chairman of the Hispanic Committee for the Diocese of New Jersey for many years. He also served on the State of New Jersey Civil Rights Commission and for many years had a radio program on WSNJ on Sunday evenings in English and Spanish. He was a member of the Oratory of the Good Sheppard and was the author of "A Hundred Years of Prayer" and of "The History of St. Andrew's". Following retirement from St. Andrew's, Canon Higgons served as a Supply Priest at St. John's Episcopal Church in Maple Shade for three years and then at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Williamstown for seven years. In addition to his wife Florence, he is survived by his two daughters, Susan Mary Scarborough and Rebecca Sarah Higgons both of Greenwich; his sister, Mary Louise Axe of Phoenix, AZ; his three granddaughters, Abigail, Alexis and Emily and two nephews. The reading of the Burial Office and Requiem Eucharist will be held at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 186 East Commerce Street, Bridgeton, on Monday, July 9th at 11 AM. Friends will be received at the PADGETT FUNERAL HOME, 1107 State Highway # 77, Upper Deerfield Township on Sunday evening, July 8th from 6 to 8 PM and on Monday morning from 10 to 11 AM prior to the services at St. Andrew's. In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions in Canon Higgon's memory be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 197, Woodstown, NJ 08098 or to Holy Redeemer Hospice, P.O. Box 250, Runnemede, NJ 08078. Written condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website at www.padgettfuneralhomes.com