Mavis Dorothy Higens

BURLEY - Mavis Dorothy Higens, age 98, beloved grandma and mother passed away on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, at Highland Estates in Burley.

Mavis was born on November 6, 1925, in East Gary, Lake Station, Indiana, to Lucille Graham Reich and Earl Reich. Mavis grew up near Palisade, Minnesota, and lived with her mom, dad, brother, “Sonny”, and sister, Delores. In 1943, Mavis enrolled in training school to repair airplanes for the United States Army Air Corps. She, and a small group of friends, then went to Sacramento, CA, to repair planes at McClellan Air Force Base at the age of 17. In June of 1945, Mavis met Floyd Higens, a “good-looking Marine” while in Sacramento. On October 6, 1945, Mavis and Floyd were married.

After getting married, Floyd and Mavis moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1946, where Mavis worked at the Brachs Candy Company. Denver brought heartache as they had their first child, a boy who was stillborn. They soon moved back to Sacramento where they had James “Jim” Floyd Higens in 1947. In August of 1948, they made the move to Idaho where Floyd began working for the Ford Motor Company in Twin Falls. In July of 1949, Mavis gave birth to a second little boy, Jackie Wayne Higens. In 1953, they had a little girl, Cynthia “Cindy” Mary Higens.

For 27 years, Mavis was a floor supervisor “floor lady” at Ore-Ida Foods in Burley, ID, until she retired. In 1987, she and Floyd moved to Sacramento to take care of her mom, Lucille, who had Parkinson’s Disease, and her step-dad, John Valdez. In 1993, Grandma Valdez passed away and they moved back to Burley, ID, where they lived near most of their family. In June of 2002, Floyd passed away. Mavis had spent those last years taking care of him as well as he had Alzheimer’s.

Mavis loved making things- crocheting, needlepoint, vinyl weave, doing puzzles, reading her books, tending her garden, and listening to her music. No one could match her amazing chicken tenders or potato salad. She loved traveling and seeing new things. She loved telling stories about meeting Floyd in Sacramento and all the things they saw and did during their marriage, about her jobs, and about her life growing up in Minnesota. Mavis loved spending time with her family, and she could play a mean game of pinochle in her day.

Mavis is survived by her sister, Delores; her three children, Jim (Deanna) Higens, Jack (Ginger) Higens, and Cindy (Carl) Rasnick; her 13 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother; her stillborn son; her husband, Floyd Higens; and her son-in-law, Carl Rasnick.

A private family memorial service will be held at a later date where Mavis will be laid to rest at Sunset Memorial Park in Twin Falls, with her husband, Floyd.

The family of Mavis would like to express their gratitude to Rebecca Warnick, NP, the staff at Minidoka Memorial Hospital, the staff at Highland Estates, Enhabit Home Health & Hospice, and Visions Hospice.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home of Burley.