Joyce Higgins
At Kibworth Community Library we were saddened to hear of the death of Joyce, one of our lovely volunteers.
Joyce Higgins was born on 30 July 1956 in Edinburgh and she grew up in Penicuik (10 miles south of Edinburgh). After leaving school she decided to become a Nurse, starting her training in Edinburgh in Summer 1975.
Joyce met her husband-to-be, Bryan, via a dating app in 1999. She lived in Aberdeen and it was an 850-mile round trip for them. But the distance proved no obstacle to instant love and she moved down to join him in Ashby-de-la-Zouch less than 6 months later, bringing her son, Andrew, with her.
Joyce and Bryan spent 4 years in Ashby before they moved to Wigston. Post 2000, Joyce worked as Practice Nurse at the Walk-In-Centre, Loughborough, then at Barrow on Soar, then Oadby and finally at the Severn Surgery in Oadby.
After about 20 years of living together, Joyce and Bryan married on 12 September 2020 at the height of Covid, which meant guests were limited to a maximum of 40, but it was a hugely happy time for both.
Joyce and Bryan’s final house move was in 2021 when they moved to Kibworth which was always meant to be a forever house.
Joyce put down strong community roots. She joined Nicky Rockett’s local Slimming World and was voted ‘the biggest loser’ in 2023, becoming very svelte and fit. She continued volunteering at the weigh-in desk at Slimming World and began membership of various local keep fit clubs to maintain her hard-won slim figure. She also volunteered almost weekly at Kibworth Community Library. Joyce enjoyed these sessions tremendously, which defined her last three years.
Joyce loved rock music, her favourites being Jon Bon Jovi, Guns and Roses, David Bowie, and Alice Cooper. Her funeral was a celebration of her love for rock music.
Without warning, Joyce fell ill in July, was rushed into Leicester Royal Infirmary and sadly died a few days later. The family want to highlight the exceptional medical treatment and respect provided by the LRI Acute Care Team.
She was just a few days short of her 69th birthday, was the happiest ever, was fit and otherwise healthy.
She leaves her husband, Bryan, her two sons Fraser and Andrew and families and sister, Norma, who are grieving terribly for her. She also leaves behind many close friends from Kibworth, Scotland and her nursing days, many of whom have spoken of her unwavering friendship, loyalty and strength of character being an inspiration.
She will be very much missed at the library. The money very kindly donated in her memory will go towards a new sound system and other furnishings to make the new library special.
Julie Harrison
Kibworth Art Lovers’ Society
