Higgins, Wanda Annette Needham

Wanda Higgins passed away peacefully in her sleep Saturday night. She was 87 years old. Born July 4, 1921 in Addison, she was the only child of Perry and Ellie Needham. She attended Dallas schools and studies Art at McMurray College in Abilene. Wanda was a homemaker, wife and mother and also a very talented portrait and landscape artist. She was a ceramist, owned a ceramic shop for a time, and taught classes to aspiring potters. She and her husband Paul were very involved with Boy Scouts of America where Paul was Scoutmaster for Dallas Troop 66 for 10 years and Wanda, a den mother.  Wanda loved animals and her life was never without a houseful of pets, including exotic birds and animals from around the world. But, most of all, Wanda's great passion was her husband, four daughters, eight grandchildren, and 15 great-grand children. They were the light of  her life. Wanda is survived by her four daughters; Sandra Taylor and Susan King, both of Dallas; Rose Tyne of Ridgecrest, CA; and Rhonda James of Prescott, AZ. Eight grandchildren; Michelle Brownell of Liverpool, Ohio; Sandra South, Valarie and husband Dan Chreene of Dallas; Shaun Thyne, Erin and wife Laurie Thyne, all of Los Angeles, CA; Chris Taylor of Dallas; Nathan Taylor and wife Melissa of Stuttgart, Germany; and Ian James of Prescott, AZ. She also leaves behind 15 great Grandchildren: Brandy Thortis, Steven Ray and Natalie morrow, of Liverpool, Ohio; Rebecca Sizemore of Denver, Colorado; Ryan South of Prescott, AZ; Brandon Chreene of Arlington; Lauren and Jared Chreene of Dallas; Meghan and Nicolas Taylor of Germany; Jordan, Josh and Keely Taylor of Dallas; Kieran and Conner Thyne of Los Angeles; and three great-great grandchildren, Kloey Thortis and Devin Riedle of Ohio and Alexis South of Alabama. Cousins Loffee and Edna Smith and David and Runette Nobles of Bowie; Judy and Art James of Sacramento, CA; Joyce Durham of Cottage Grove, Oregon; Willetta Stellmacher of Dallas; L. D. and Monte Wayne Montgomery of Dallas; brothers and sisters-in-law, Bill and Mary Higgins of Dallas; Russell and Rita Butzirus of Jacksonville, Florida; Ouida and Cecil Rippy of Richardson; William Kelly of Tennessee and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Paul. Visitation will be Tuesday evening, August 12, 2008 from 6-8 at Rhoton Funeral Home. A funeral service celebrating her life will be held Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at 11 a.m. at Rhoton Funeral Home at 1511 S. I-35E, Carrollton, TX. Interment will follow at Furneaux Cemetery, Carrollton, TX

The Dallas Morning News - Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Submitted by Betty Lou (Stanley) Dennis