Eddie "Pete" Higgs (78) of Altamont

Eddie A. ‘Pete’ Higgs, 78, of Altamont, died at 8:56 a.m. Sunday, February 5, 2017 at HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, Effingham.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 8 at the First Baptist Church, Altamont with Rev. Dr. Lowell Donnelley and Rev. Dr. Leroy Tucker officiating. Burial will take place at Little Prairie Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until service time at the church. Memorials may be made to the Jackson Township Baptist Church Cemetery (Little Prairie). Gieseking Funeral Home, Altamont is assisting the family with arrangements.

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Eddie Allen Higgs was born on Thursday, March 10, 1938 in Jackson Township, rural Altamont to Virgil Guy and Myrtle (Larimore) Higgs. He married Mary Alice Veach on September 16, 1960 in Altamont. He was a member of the First Baptist Church, Altamont, U.S. Trotting Association, NRA and IRA. He was a long time horseman and trained horses at Hays Fair Acres, DuQuoin and Fair Meadow Farms, Altamont.

He is survived by; his wife of over 56 years, Mary of Altamont; son, Wayne Allen Higgs and his wife Christine of Laurel, Maryland; daughter, Mary Ann Spesard (Joe Belongia) of Altamont; sister, Ruth Boaz and her husband Larry of Altamont and Rose Williams of Toledo; 3 grandchildren, Mary Beth Stephens (John Stephens), Le Ann Spesard (David Beck), and Katey Dawn Craig (Shawn Craig); 5 great grandchildren, Joshua Stephens, Mathew Stephens, Makyla Stephens, Beau Oren Beck, and Savannah Lee Craig; sister-in-law, Lillian Higgs of Clovis, New Mexico and brother-in-law, Charlie Goldsborough of Altamont.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Wayne Higgs and Gilbert Higgs; sisters, Irene Tucker and Lou Ella Goldsborough.