Robert “Bob” Higgins passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loved ones, on Jan. 4, 2025. He was 89.

Higgins was born to John and Mabel Higgins on April 2, 1935. He and his eight siblings were raised in Yonkers.

He attended Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers and graduated from Fordham University in 1959. It was there he met his beloved wife, Joan, whom he was married to for 60 years. He is now reunited with her in eternal rest. He will be greatly missed by his children, Laura, Brian, and Jeanine; his grandchildren Brian and Tyler Lombardi; and his siblings Mary, Joe, and Margaret. He was predeceased by his siblings John, Catherine, Nora, and Alice.

Higgins’ 89 years were well-lived and hard-working. He spent over 30 years working for Equitable Life Insurance in New York City, as well as several years with Cigna and New York Life before retiring. He rode the Long Island Railroad every day and often spoke of the friendships he had forged with fellow commuters. He regularly met several of them for lunch long after his retirement.

He served 40 years in the United States Navy Reserve, achieving the rank of commander before retiring in 1995. In 1973, he was briefly called into active duty for Operation Homecoming, where he debriefed prisoner of war repatriates following the Vietnam War.

Following his duty, he was recommended for a promotion. He was a true patriot with a generous heart.

Higgins enjoyed traveling with his family and friends and often took cruises to Bermuda and the Caribbean. He was very proud of his Irish heritage and did research to locate relatives from his family tree in Ireland, traveling abroad to meet many of them. He applied for and was approved for Irish citizenship.

He enjoyed playing golf with his neighborhood buddies, loved a good lobster or steak dinner, and frequently asked to visit Orem’s Diner or treat his grandsons to hibachi.He never wanted anyone to worry about him, always asked if you needed any money and was sure you would hit traffic, wherever you were headed, no matter the time of day. He was a quintessential sports couch potato—if there was a game on TV, he was watching it. A die-hard Jets fan, he was a season-ticket holder for over 60 years. It was his family’s dream to see a Super Bowl win alongside him.