Georgianna “Georgi” Geary Higgins, 88, died at home on March 10, 2022. Mom was born on February 23, 1934 in Wellsville to Maurice and Catherine (Daley) Geary. She attended the Immaculate Conception School through the 10th grade then graduated from Wellsville High School in 1952. On May 28, 1955 she married her beloved Donald Towner Higgins. Dad died in September 2019. Mom and Dad were compassionately cared for by Dr. Pasquale Picco, and his staff, and the Tender Loving Care Home Health Care Agency.
Mom-Nana-Great Nana is survived by her three children, Daniel (Errol Haynes) of Dallas, TX, Brian (Noreen) of Cape May Court House, NJ and Shelia Higgins Gerrie (Richard) of Macedon, NY; four grandchildren Timothy Higgins (Sara) of Redwood City, CA, their three sons Stradbroke, Teague and Boden, Meaghan Higgins Imszennik (Brian) of Warrington, PA, their son Daniel and daughter Theresa, Patrick Gerrie of Raleigh, NC and Christopher Gerrie of Cleveland, OH; and her sister Mary Geary McMullen of Winter Park, FL. She was predeceased by brothers Paul and Frank.
In 1937, Mom and her brothers and sister went to live with Mrs. Josephine Lee, at 46 Wheeler Place, following her Father’s death and her Mother’s hospitalization in the Craig Colony for Epileptics in Sonyea, NY. At the time it was thought to be a temporary arrangement made by her Aunt Mary, Sister Eugena, who taught at the Immaculate Conception School and her Aunt Alice, who worked at St Mary’s School for the Deaf in Buffalo. However, Mom lived with Mrs. Lee until she married Dad. When we were kids, Grandma Geary lived on Meservey Hill with her first cousin John Shaughnessy. They were always part of our immediate family. Mom’s ancestors were all Irish Catholic immigrants and she was proud of that heritage. Most immigrated to the Wellsville area in the late 1840’s to escape the “hunger”. Mom’s Maternal Grandmother came with her older sister in the 1890’s, both young teenagers at the time, to work as contract domestic servants in a Wellsville household.
Mom began her work life at New York Telephone Company as an operator in the Wellsville branch. After taking a break for childrearing, she worked first as an assistant to Dr. John Williams and then continued her career for the next 29 years at the First Trust Bank. Mom was a member of the Immaculate Conception Church and a past member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She played at golf and, until the pandemic, enjoyed Tuesday luncheon and bridge at the Beef Haus. Dad and Mom loved to entertain which got them into all sorts of shenanigans with their friends and family and we sentimentally recall those times.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the convenience of the family, and there will be no prior visitation. Please consider memorial donations to the David A. Howe Library, 155 North Main Street, Wellsville, NY 14895 or the Jones Memorial Hospital Foundation, 191 North Main Street, Wellsville, NY 14895. To leave online condolences, please visit www.embserfuneralhome.com.
