Mervin John Higgins was born July 20, 1929 to John and Ada (Brown) Higgins at Brocksburg, Nebraska. He died January, 20, 2015 at the Gregory Community Hospital at the age of 85 years.

Merv attended country grade school and graduated from Butte High School in 1946. On November 28, 1950, he was united in marriage to Helen Schmitz at her parent's, Joe and Bertha (Blum) Schmitz, home east of Naper, Nebraska. To this union five children were born: Kathy, Joe, Cindy, Rich and Steve.

Merv and Helen lived their entire married life, of 64 years, on a ranch southwest of Naper, Nebraska. Ranching was his passion, farming was his sideline. He was a kind and gentle man who loved tending his cattle, seeing his children, 16 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren and was looking forward to those on the way.

Mervin is survived by his wife, Helen; his children: Kathy (Ed) Peppel of Butte, NE; Joe (Mary) Higgins of Naper, NE; Rich (Janice) Higgins of Bow Valley, NE; and Steve (Denise) Higgins of Winner, SD; his son-in-law, Mike (Linda) Schochenmaier of Bonesteel, SD; two sisters: Joyce Stahlecker of Albion, NE and Lorraine (Bob) Peppel of St. Charles, SD; one brother-in-law, Leonard (Thelma) Schmitz of Naper, NE; and his sisters-in-law: Inez Schmitz of O'Neill, NE; Bennetta (Roger) Roth of Spencer, NE and Margaret Schmitz of Bonesteel, SD.

Mervin was preceded in death by his parents, John and Ada; his parents-in-law, Joe and Bertha Schmitz; his daughter, Cindy Schochenmaier; his brother, Max Higgins; his sister-in-law, Janet Higgins; brothers-in-law: Howard Stahlecker, Pat Higgins, Donald Schmitz and John Schmitz; and a great-grandson, Brady Peppel.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 23, 2015 at 10:30 AM at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Butte, Nebraska. Burial will be in the Naper Catholic Cemetery in Naper, Nebraska. There will be a rosary on Thursday at 7:00 PM at the church. Visitation will be on Thursday from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, at the church.