Philip Martin Higgins
Kittery, Maine

Kittery - Philip Martin Higgins, 89, of Kittery, Maine, died on February 1, 2016 at his home surrounded by family.

A true Mainer, Philip (Tippy) was born July 6, 1926 in Kittery. The son of Ernest Martin and Aura Pearl (Hewitt) Higgins, he attended Kittery schools until his senior year, graduating from Eliot High School in 1944.

He was a WWII veteran, serving in the Navy as a ship fitter first class from 1944 to 1946 aboard the USS TODD (AKA 71). He took part in classified missions in the Pacific, earning the WWII Victory Medal, the American Area Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Area Medal, and the Philippine Liberation Medal. He also attended the Unconditional Surrender in Tokyo Bay.

Philip began working at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard while in high school, retiring in 1981. He worked in the sheet metal shop, in the "mock up" where he built the one-quarter scale model of the USS Dolphin (the world's deepest diving submarine) and in the Engineering /Structural Division, Code 250.
He was also a lifetime member of the Naval Lodge No. 184.

A registered Maine Guide for many years, Philip was an avid hunter and fisherman, enjoying time spent between West Newfield, Maine and Rangeley, Maine. After retirement, Philip and Vella, his wife of 57 years, spent 20 years traveling throughout all 50 states.

In later years he spent time enjoying his many projects. He was a true "character" entertaining his family and friends with his life stories, inventive solutions and humorous mishaps.

He is survived by his three children, Lois Higgins of Kittery; William Higgins and Barbara Gozzo of Kittery Point; John and Debbie Higgins of Kittery. Grandchildren Joshua and Emily Higgins, Ryan and Joanna Higgins, Mikel Higgins and Lydia Higgins. 4 great grandchildren Karen, Jillian, Griffin, Cecelia.

Philip was predeceased by his wife Vella (Bartlett) Higgins; his brother Sherman Higgins and sister Priscilla Chervenski all of Kittery.

Services: A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, February 7, 2016 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Spring Hill, 117 Pond Road, South Berwick, Maine. Please join the family for short words of remembrance at 1:15 followed by refreshments and socializing. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to First Radio Parish Church of America, c/o WCSH6, One Congress Square, Portland, ME 04101 or Siamese Cat Rescue Center, 366 Meander Run Road, Locust Dale, VA 22948. For online condolences visit: www.jspelkeyfuneralhome.com. Care for the Higgins family has been entrusted to the J. S. Pelkey Funeral Home.