Marilyn Kathryn (Richelieu) Higgins
April 9, 1931 – January 13, 2024
Marilyn Kathryn (Richelieu) Higgins was born on April 9th, 1931 to M. Lillian (Schwartz) and V. Howard Richelieu in Omaha, Nebraska along with an older sister Geraldine and a younger brother William.
Marilyn grew up in downtown Omaha in St. John’s parish near Creighton University and graduated from Mercy High School in 1949. After high school, she had a job with MUD in Omaha and enjoyed many hobbies from fishing to bowling.
In 1954, she took part with a group from Omaha in a trip of lifetime as part of a pilgrimage to Rome on the Queen Mary via Ireland and Paris. In December 1955, she married Francis J. (Frank) Higgins who she had met while he was in US Air Force stationed here in Omaha. Frank and Marilyn were married for 42 years and raised six children in Omaha. Both Frank and Marilyn were avid sports fans from Cornhusker football and volleyball , Creighton basketball and much more along with all the sports the children participated in growing up. She held numerous part time jobs while raising her family including at Notre Dame Convent and Marian High school. For the last 12 years, she had the great fortune of living at the Arboretum Community in Omaha where she was very happy engaging with everyone and enjoyed being involved in numerous activities from bridge to bingo.
Always involved in the parishes they lived in over the years, St. John’ s, St. Richard’s and St. James, Marilyn provided an active example to her children on the importance of faith and community.
Over almost a century and for generations of family and friendships, Marilyn was a source of strength, encyclopedic oral history, humor, compassion and faith for everyone she met.
She was preceded in death by her husband. Frank Higgins; sister, Geraldine Mahoney; brother, William Richelieu. She is survived by all her children: Kevin (Mary) Higgins, Brian (Anne) Higgins, Sean (Maureen) Higgins, Colleen Higgins, Erin Nelson, and Kelly Guarino; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews and close friends.
Visitation: Sunday, January 21st from 2:00PM – 4:00PM at West Center Chapel with a Vigil Service at 4:00PM
Mass of Christian Burial: Monday, January 22nd, 10:00AM at Christ The King Catholic Church
Interment: Calvary
In lieu of flowers, Marilyn requested that memorials be made to EWTN or the the Douglas County Health Center Foundation.
6 Comments
Peace to you all. What an incredible lady! You were blessed by having her as mother, grandmother, greatgranmother. I was blessed by her gracious, caring, and fun loving spirit as a “houseguest” while attending school at Creighton. LOVE!
My father , Ray Carlson and his wife, Marilyn Mathews Carlson lived in the Arboretum and were able to enjoy Marilyn’s company. I met Marilyn when Patty (Mahoney) Erusha and I made a hamburger and milk shake run to the Arboretum and ate a grand lunch with all of them together. Good memories. She is a beautiful soul and will be missed by many.
Tim and I pray that your memories will keep you warm and bring you strength.
Peace to you all. Tim and Ellen Robertson
I loved my Aunt Marilyn. Prayers and blessings to the family! She will be missed. I knew I always had someone praying for me!
May the Lord bless and comfort the family and everyone who knew Marilyn.
While I did not know Marilyn personally, I know what an incredibly loving, kind, and generous person she was. I also know how much Sean loved and continues to love his mom; after all, if nothing else, love certainly lasts forever. May she rest in eternal peace.
We are so sorry to hear of the loss of our dear friend Marilyn. Many many years of friendship. A donation in her name was sent to EWTN. Marilyn and you are in our prayers.
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