Robert Philip Higgins

Robert Philip Higgins was born on December 12, 1947, in the Gooding Idaho Hospital and was immediately adopted by Philip Henry Higgins and Leona Fern Holland Higgins. Robert attended school in Gooding, Idaho. During his high school years, he managed a band that performed for dances all over the Magic Valley.

After high school, there was a draft for individuals turning 18 on their birthdays to have to go to war. Robert and a couple of his friends had their birthdays in the same month decided to enlist. Robert entered the Army and was trained as a C5 Flight Engineer at Altas Air Force Base in Texas. He went to Vietnam during the war. He was in the army for about 7 years. He said during this time he ate bad food all over the world. He then joined the Airforce Reserve for another 4 years. He was stationed in Germany teaching C5 Flight Engineering. After that he was sent to Pueblo Colorado to be a Military Police there for a time.

He married Betty Guthrie and to this union, Anna Higgins was born. They later divorced and Anna lived with Robert’s parents in Gooding because he was still in the military.

His “claim to fame” was working in Washington state at the Boeing plant and helped build the Boeing Triple Seven doing the electrical wiring.

He was then called back to Gooding to help care for his parents. During that time, he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He attended church in Gooding.

In about 2002, he signed onto the LDS Singles website to find a companion. That is where he found Lela Tibbets Greene. They met for a date and then he had to go to Washington D.C. for VFW business. Upon his return, 9 days after the meeting on March 14, 2003, they were married in Jerome, Idaho. They made their home in Twin Falls, where he had 4 months earlier purchased a home. A year after their marriage, their union was solemnized in the Boise Idaho Temple.

At that time, he was working at the Twin Falls Airport as a TSA worker. He later worked at Glanbia in Gooding. He then went to work in Jerome as Deputy Sheriff. He retired from that job.

Robert and Lela were called as Welfare Service Missionaries and worked at the Food Distribution Center in Twin Falls.

Robert was later called to work in the Twin Falls Idaho Temple at the registration desk.

He loved talking to his children and grandchildren about history. He was a real history buff. He also liked playing chess often with Josh (Destinee’s husband) and Fabian their son when they had weekly meals at his home. Others liked to play too when they came over.

With coming from a very small family, joining Lela’s family was a big change for him. When getting to know them, he loved them all.

Robert and Lela had a dream to go to Canada and to ride a train. In June 2024, they joined daughter Trisha and her family to go to Canada. That is exactly what they were able to do. It was a very long train ride. They got tired but enjoyed it immensely. Because of a mix-up with the car rental place, one of the cars was smaller than reserved. Robert, Lela, Sebastian and Trisha had to ride in a Mustang convertible, which Robert loved riding in with the top down. It was cold so the next day, Lela and Sebastian requested that the top go up. Trisha was our driver.

Due to his heart attack and surgery in the beginning of 2026, Lela went part time from work and then retired to be with him more. He was soon put on hospice with Hospice Visions. They were great and were appreciated a lot.

On July 1, 2026 Robert Higgins passed away peacefully in his home.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Philip and Leona Higgins; a grandson, Gabriel Aragon; and uncles and aunts.

He is survived by his wife, Lela Higgins; his daughter, Anna McConnell (TJ); Lela’s children, Shauna Martinez (Juan), Sheila Hays, Sandra Reynoso (Enrique), Sherrie Winterholler (Boyd), Greg Greene (Katrina), Melody Greene, and Trisha Castillo (Alejandro). He is also survived by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was loved by all and will definitely be missed.

A viewing will be held from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm, Friday, July 10, 2026 at Farnsworth Mortuary, 1343 S Lincoln Ave, Jerome. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, July 11, 2026 at Jerome Cemetery, Jerome. 

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Robert's memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com.