RIP Vera Higginson

We were sad to hear of the death of Vera Higginson, just short of her hundredth birthday. The picture above shows Vera with husband, Bernard, who died in 2001.

In the war, Vera worked as a wireless mechanic in the RAF and she remained very proud of her RAF
connection and often spoke of it.

She and Bernard were married in 1944. They were both volunteer probation officers, visiting prisoners and their families and helping and supporting them on release.

Isabel Bala writes:

I remember Vera and Bernard when I first came to church in Buckhurst Hill. They were involved with prison visiting and helped to set up the Othona Community after the Second World War.

It was because of Vera that I first became interested in the Othona Community and now I am a member and go there each summer for a week.

Vera was a keen gardener and she and Bernard enjoyed working in the garden at Bradwell, where there is a bench in his memory.

Vera was a faithful church member, attending Church Meetings into her nineties, still making contributions and taking part in discussions.

She was a member of our church for over seventy years and we will remember her with love and admiration.

And Margaret Minoletti writes:

I most remember Vera for the part she played as a very efficient secretary for Churches Together in
Buckhurst Hill. She always had a neat and accurate set of notes ready for each meeting and took a lively interest in ecumenical possibilities both locally and nationally.

Over more recent years we often drove Vera home after church and she would proudly talk about her family and particularly enjoyed describing the time she spent with her grandson who came in almost daily after school. They sounded very close companions.

June Colley writes:

It was a privilege to conduct Vera’s burial service at a woodland site near Harwich. She was laid to rest next to Bernard and the sapling planted in 2001 is now a thriving tree providing shelter for wildlife – another sapling will be planted next to Vera. Later, after lunch, we raised a glass in memory of Vera.

We send our love and condolences to Martin, Ruth, Janet and Colin, and all the family and thank Janet and her husband for making the journey to Buckhurst Hill to take part in our little thanksgiving prayer meeting in memory of Vera.

The family have booked Othona Bradwell for a Memorial service on Saturday 4 April 2020. Worship will be in the Chapel and we know they will be happy if church friends are able to be there too.