Ethel Louise Higginson's Obituary
Ethel Louise Higginson, 83, of Springville, Utah, passed away peacefully on the morning of June 23, 2026, in her home, surrounded by her children.
On November 16, 1942, a beautiful baby girl was born to Mont and Ethel Lewis. Little Louise was the second child in a family of four children. The little baby born, is our mother. She was born in Moroni, Utah and lived in Ephraim until she was 8 years old. At the age of 8 she was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She remained faithful and true, her entire life.
In 1950, the family moved to Provo, Utah. Some of Louise’s fondest childhood memories took place during those 4 years in the brick house just off of Street. She and her siblings ran around with friends together living a carefree life, from walking to town to see a movie for a dime, to planning a parade for the neighborhood. She loved to reminisce about those times even into the last year of life. She often told us that Maeser Elementary was her favorite school. Mom grew up in a loving home with her parents and siblings whom she adored.
At the age of 12, Mom’s family moved to Ogden, Utah on Grammercy Avenue. During her time there, she attended Washington Junior High and Ogden High School. Mom was wise in choosing friends, supporting her high standards.
Her devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ was strengthened through those years, leading to her decision to serve a mission for the Church. She served in the French Mission beginning in March 1964 and continuing for the next two years. It was there that she learned to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ in the French language. She often shared an experience in France where she and her companion were riding along the road on their Solex motorized bicycles. Then suddenly she felt a prompting to move to the side. She quickly did so just in time to see a flaming tire fly into the path that she had just vacated. It was a clear message to her that her life was being preserved by the Lord, as she served him so faithfully.
Mom truly was too lovely for this world, but we needed her to be our mother.
Mom married Dad, David Lee Higginson, for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple on June 2, 1967. Surely there was great rejoicing in heaven from we, her 9 children, who would be blessed beyond all to have parents such as these.
Mom was very engaged in each of her children’s lives. She was not distracted with pursuits that turned her desires in any other direction. This was apparent in her detailed and intentional prayers that showed how deeply she cared for us. Her capacity to love only multiplied the longer she lived.
Mom’s love for Dad and Dad’s love for Mom and their love for the Savior, Jesus Christ, created a calm reassurance that remains with us even through the most difficult of life’s challenges.
As kids, we did not comprehend how hard our mom worked because we had so much fun “helping” her. We surrounded her as she mixed the bread and we looked forward to the dough she reserved for us to shape our own bread bears with raisins for eyes and buttons down the front, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.
Every day before school, she woke up early and fixed us a hot breakfast and a sack lunch. We remember her coming into our rooms with a sweet wake-up call, helping us get the best start on the day. “Rise and shine.” … ”It’s time to get up, kidlins,”… “Just one more day until the weekend!” Her encouraging voice calling echoes in our minds. There is no sweeter sound than hearing our Mom speak our own names. And no greater sight than to see the warm smile she had for each of us. In the last weeks and days of her life, sometimes all she could communicate was that same warm smile and speaking our names. Her final sentence was “I love you too”.
We always knew our Mom would be home when we got home from school. She and Dad filled our home with love and classical music.
Mom kept and preserved records of family history and our ancestors. She reminded us of their history and faith and read to us stories that brought them to life. She knew them all by name and helped us to turn our hearts to them.
Mom was a true friend to liberty. She and dad were patriots through and through. Her convictions in the truth, compelled her study of American history and politics in the world today. She inspires us to do the same.
One of our joys in life was making our mom laugh - our Dad did it so well, with his jokes and antics. But with him gone 15 years before her, it was left to us. She had a fantastic sense of humor and was quick to laugh, but we still felt it a triumph when we were a part of it.
We watched her take care of her mother and mother-in-law in their final years. We learned from her example and in turn, each one of us had the privilege of taking care of her for the last year and a half of her life when she could no longer take care of herself.
One of her favorite scriptures was, “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God.”
She had such humble confidence and witnessing her way of life helps us to comprehend that we really can by like Jesus.
She is survived by her nine loving children, David (Heidi) Higginson, Michael (Marci) Higginson, Amy Clements, Rebekah (Jim) Edwards, Brian (Lisa) Higginson, Julie (fiancé Ben Paladino) Higginson, Linda (Danny) Strauss, Robert Higginson, and Jared (Julia) Higginson; her 30 adored grandchildren and her 19 precious great-grandchildren with 5 on the way. Louise is also survived by her brother Richard Lewis and sister Margaret (Larry) Cole. She was preceded in death by her husband, David Lee Higginson, her parents Mont and Ethel Lewis, her brother Mont Lewis, her son-in-law Brenden Clements, and her grandson Alvin Strauss.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on June 27, 2026 at the LDS church located at 495 South Canyon Road, Springville, Utah 84663. Viewings will be held on Friday June 26, 2026 from 6 to 8 pm and on Saturday June 27, 2026 from 9 to 10:30 am.
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