Joe Higgins, one of the last living survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor, passed away recently at the age of 102.
His granddaughter, Angela Norton, described him as a humble and kind man who dedicated his life to sharing stories about Pearl Harbor, World War II, and the Great Depression with students in schools.
“It was never about him,” Norton said. “The heroes were those that didn’t come home.”
Higgins was born on a farm near Mangum, Oklahoma, on July 24, 1921. He joined the Navy in 1939 and served for 20 years before retiring. After his military career, he became an aeronautics engineer for Northrop Corporation (later Northrop Grumman) and other defense contractors, working on projects like the B-2 Stealth Bomber.
Higgins was married to his wife, Winnie Ruth, for 60 years until her passing in 2004 at the age of 82.
Shortly after entering hospice care last Thursday, Higgins told his granddaughter, “I’m ready to go see Winnie Ruth.”
“I said, ‘It’s OK, go home. Be with Jesus and be with Winnie Ruth,’” Norton said. “’It’s okay to do that. Leave us. You’ve had it’s such a good and full life.’”
With Higgins’ passing, there are now only 22 known survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack still living, according to Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors. However, there may be more survivors who did not join the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association when it was formed in 1958.
The attack on Pearl Harbor, which took place on December 7, 1941, claimed the lives of approximately 2,400 servicemen and launched the United States into World War II. The USS Arizona battleship alone lost 1,177 sailors and Marines, accounting for nearly half of the total death toll.
Higgins is survived by two children, two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. The family plans to hold a memorial service at a church in Bend, followed by a ceremony with full military honors. Afterward, his body will be flown to California to be buried next to his beloved wife, Winnie Ruth.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.