Johnny Richard Higgins

Johnny Richard Higgins, age 79 of Wellsville passed away Friday, October 4, 2019 at his home. Graveside services will be 11AM, Friday, October 11, 2019 at the Wellsville Cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8PM, Thursday, October 10, 2019 at Wilson's Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in care of Wilson's, PO Box 486, Wellsville, KS 66092.
Johnny Richard Higgins was born April 5, 1940 in Paragould, Arkansas, the son of George T. and Ruth A. (Sikes) Higgins. He moved with his family to the St. Louis, Missouri area when he was a child. There, he went to a one room school until the 8th grade. In 1958, he graduated from Hazelwood High School. In 1959 he enlisted in the United States Air Force and went to the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas for basic training, then to Kessler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi completing training for electronics and Air Traffic Control Radar Technician. He worked at Macdonald Aircraft from 1963 to 1969. In June of 1969 he moved his family to Gardner, Kansas after accepting a position as an electronic technician at the FAA in 1994. He continued to work as a subcontractor at the FAA in Olathe until retiring again in 2012.
In 1960, while on leave for Christmas, he went to a friend's house and became reacquained with Rose Straussner. He had known her for months, but it was then he knew that they were meant to be. She was the love of his life and they were married August 8, 1961. Two chidlren were born from this marriage, Thom and Janet.
Johnny is survived by his wife of 58 years, Janet Rose; daughter, Janet Ruth Higgins (Jon Bruning) of Griswold, IA; grandchildren, Brandon Cornett and Rhonda Stuhr and great-grandchildren, Jada Moore and Jonah and Salah Cornett.

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