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1945 – 2021

Mrs. Ruby Darlene Hurst Higgins passed away on Oct. 10, 2021 while in the loving care of WellStar West Georgia Hospice. Darlene was born on Aug. 3, 1945, in Atlanta to the late William Claude Hurst and Ruby Christine Thompson Hurst. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of over fifty years, Glenn P. Higgins, Jr.; nephew, William Charles Hurst; in-laws, Rev. Glenn P. and Blandiner Higgins.

Darlene was the model of a Christian woman, staying true to her teaching until the very end. She was the example of the gracious Southern lady, an impeccable host to friends and family, and the ultimate supporter of her family and friends. She was raised in the beautiful town of Fairburn where she graduated Salutatorian from her class at Campbell High School Class of 1963. Her class has remained close through the years, and many of her friends are literally life-long. She was Co-Captain of the Varsity Chearleaders, a model for the Rich’s Teen Board and voted as a class superlative. Upon graduation, Darlene continued her education and graduated from Massey College in Atlanta.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Fairburn for over fifty years, and a member of the Adult Choir for the majority of that time. She was a Sunday School Teacher, handbell choir member, a leader in the W.M.U., member of the Together We Build Finance Committee and many committees including numerous Pulpit Committees, Music Search Committees and the like. Aside from her family, the Church was the center of her life. Upon her only child, Jeff, starting school, she became a Kindergarten Teacher, first at the First United Methodist Church in Fairburn and then at the First Baptist Church of Fairburn. She taught for over a decade and was the Director of the program in her last years there. She continued to minister at the First Baptist when she stepped away from teaching and became an Administrative Assistant. She spent many happy days working with her best friend, Fran Browning in this position.

As the Higgins family business grew in Fairburn, it was necessary to join the funeral home as the funeral home Administrator and Insurance Professional. This began many years of happiness and contentment with the opportunity to work daily with her husband, son and in later years, her grandsons. She found tremendous joy in helping families in their greatest time of need. As the family business expanded to Newnan, she and Glenn graciously moved to Newnan, supporting the family efforts at Higgins Hillcrest Chapel.

They became inundated in the Newnan community, returning to their roots in the funeral business. Ironically, they had lived in the Newnan funeral home following Glenn’s graduation from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in the mid-1960s. They lived in the funeral home apartment upstairs until 1970 when they moved to Fairburn.

In Newnan, Darlene was a member of the Unity Baptist Church, where she continued supporting all aspects of the church and became a member of the Agape Sunday School Class. She was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Coweta County, serving as the clubs President and recipient of the prestigious George F. Hixson Fellowship Award.

Following the years after Glenn’s passing, her family again expanded their business to LaGrange. Her health began to fail, and it became necessary for her to move closer to her son in LaGrange. Even in decline, she joined the First Baptist Church on the Square in LaGrange and had hopes of continuing to serve until COVID forced her to retreat.

She was a survivor and always graceful in her approach to the trials she faced. She had major optical/brain surgery in 1979 that was labelled incurable. Eight major brain surgeries, countless rounds of chemotherapy, numerous radiation and immunotherapy treatments later, she was a conqueror for over forty years. The options were just finally exhausted. She was the consummate supporter of her son and grandsons. She never missed a baseball, football, wrestling meet, concert or fine arts performance, and found great joy in her families participation in these activities. What a legacy of family, service and ministry.

If this Bible verse ever applied to anyone, it would be Darlene: “Well done Thy good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.”

As her family has said many times, “if Mimi didn’t make it to Heaven, we don’t have a chance.”

Survivors include her only child and wife, Jeffrey Glenn Higgins, Sr. and Mary; the joys of her life, her grandsons and their wives, Jeffrey Glenn Higgins, Jr. and Jamie and David Paul Higgins and Lindsay; great grandchildren, Jeffrey Glenn “Jay” Higgins, III., Charlie Buren Higgins, Harvey James Higgins and the first granddaughter on the way, Mary Margaret Higgins.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, in the chapel of Unity Baptist Church, 311 Smokey Road, Newnan, 30263.

Family will receive friends on Thursday evening, Oct.14, 2021, from 6-8 p.m. at the Hillcrest Chapel Funeral Home, 1 Bullsboro Drive, Newnan, 30263. A private family interment service will be held. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the WellStar West Georgia Hospice, 1510 Vernon Road, LaGrange, 30240.

Higgins Funeral Home at Hunter Allen Myhand, LaGrange, 706-884-5626.