Robert William “Bob” Higgins, 91

Robert William “Bob” Higgins, 91, of Waterloo and formerly of Traer, passed into eternal life surrounded by his loving family on Friday, August 4, 2023. He was born October 8, 1931, in Council Bluffs. Bob graduated from Geneseo Community High School in 1950 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy from Iowa State College (now Iowa State University) in 1954. While at Iowa State, Bob met JoAnn Lovig and the couple married on June 30, 1956, in Gilman, Iowa. The couple was blessed with four children, ten grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Bob was a longtime member of the Geneseo Methodist Church.

Bob worked as a County Extension Agent in Marengo, IA, before returning to the family farm in Geneseo where he farmed for the rest of his life. He loved to fish, mushroom hunt and make apple cider from apples grown on the farm. A person who could fix anything with anything, Bob was a true MacGyver. He loved sharing the timber and the pond on the farm with all visitors on his golf cart or his truck. He taught all his grandchildren and children how to drive on the farm and was especially proud of all their educational accomplishments. Bob cherished his children and grandchildren and he danced at every family wedding he attended.

An avid ISU Sports fan, Bob was a member of the ISU Letterman’s Club and Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity at Iowa State. He loved spending time with family and friends. It is well known that Bob also loved JoAnn’s Lemon Meringue Pie and would pay any price to take one home from the Lord’s Portion Auctions held at his church-so much so that many people bid against him just to run up the price!

Bob is survived by his wife, JoAnn Higgins, of Waterloo; children: Mary Jo (Rodney) Kavalier, of Traer, Holly (Alan Chadwick) Higgins, of Mexico City, Mexico, Rebecca (Stacey) Overton, of Edmond, OK, and Mark (Sarah) Higgins, of Boulder, CO; 10 grandchildren: Michael, Ryan, Kristin, Sean, Alexander, Catherine, Lauren, Matthew, Ethan and Anna; 2 great grandchildren, Ames and Elizabeth; a sister Mary Mixdorf, of Iowa City; and a whole host of other family and friends.

Bob was preceded in death by his sister Sara Mitchell.

Funeral Services were Monday, August 7, 2023, at Geneseo Methodist Church, 3127 115th St, Buckingham, IA, at 10:00 a.m. with burial to follow at the Geneseo Township Cemetery. The family greeted friends at the church on Sunday, August 6, 2023, from 4-6 PM. Memorial contributions should be directed to Bob’s church. Online condolences may be expressed at www.lockefuneralservices.com.