Wanda Mae (Wagner) Higgins

Wanda Mae (Wagner) Higgins, age 97, passed away May 28, 2018 surrounded by family and music at Hummingbird Music Camp in Jemez Springs, New Mexico.

Wanda was born July 16, 1920 in Dolores, Colorado to Elmer and Sarah (Kellogg) Wagner. She moved to Albuquerque in 1937 and married Kenneth Lloyd “KL” Higgins in 1939. Together they founded Hummingbird Music Camp, where she cooked, cleaned, and supported every child who came to camp as a team with her husband. She received many accolades over the years, including the NM Platinum Music Award and Lee Berk Award in 2018, but perhaps her greatest honor was being a grandmother to thousands of children and providing them a safe haven to be creative. She was energetic, loving, independent, artistic, kind, downright spunky, and an expert at double solitaire. Wanda spent her last weekend celebrating the opening of camp’s 60th season, visiting with friends, and surrounded by many of her 13 grandchildren and 15 and counting great grandchildren.

Known as “Mimi” to family and friends, Wanda is survived by her daughter, Jean “Susie” DeCarlo and husband Frank; children, Dean Lagrave, Don Lagrave, and their families; son, Les Higgins and wife Cindy; children, Brittney Krest, Craigen Higgins, Taylor Higgins and their families; daughter, Sara “Sally” Chapman and husband Harry; children, Kristen Pickens, Kyle Chapman, Korilynn Nakitare, and their families; daughter, Teena King and husband Jerry; children, John King, Scott King, and Chris King and granddaughter, Amber Waggener, husband Alex, and their children. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Lloyd Higgins, son, Elliott Lloyd Higgins and grandchild Ryan Wright Chapman.

A memorial service will be held at Hummingbird Music Camp in Jemez Springs, NM on July 4, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Memorial concerts will take place Saturdays at 6:00p.m. through July 28 at the Jemez Historic Site and are free and open to the public. In lieu of flowers, consider being a part of Wanda’s legacy by supporting the Hummingbird scholarship fund; details forthcoming at hummingbirdmusiccamp.com. Please visit our online guest book for Wanda at www.FrenchFunerals.com.

FRENCH – Westside

9300 Golf Course Rd NW

505-897-0300