Pauline G. “Boots” Higie, 93, of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, formerly of Bradford, passed away on Feb. 14, 2020, at the St. Barnabas Nursing Home in Gibsonia.
She was born on Feb. 11, 1927, in Bradford, the daughter of the late William and Margaret McDermott Gorman. On June 20, 1953, in the St. Bernard Catholic Church, she married William F. “Bill” Higie; who preceded her in death on Oct. 29, 2018.
She was a 1945 graduate of the Bradford Area High School and a 1949 graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and Communications. She later earned her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh.
She worked for more than 30 years as a speech and hearing pathologist in the Bradford Area school system until her retirement in 1987. In retirement, she was extremely active in numerous community organizations including serving on the Boards of the Bradford YMCA, the Bradford Area Library and the Bradford chapter of the American Association of University Women. In addition, she volunteered with the Bradford Hospital Surgical Liaison Program, Future’s Rehabilitation Center, Inc., Friendship Table, the ELF Fund, Special Olympics, the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, the Chautauqua Catholic Community, The Chautauqua Fund, and served as a high school swimming official. She was an avid swimmer, skier, golfer, reader, gardener, quilter, bridge player and traveler.
She was a member of the St. Bernard Catholic Church, the Bradford Club and the Pennhills Club.
She is survived by four children, William (Anne) Higie, Jr. of Punxsutawney, David (Gigi) Higie of Pittsburgh, Ellen (Jeffrey) Bauman of Gibsonia and Jonathan (Lisa) Higie of Bridgeville; eight grandchildren, Sarah (Eric) Mazurek, Mary Elizabeth (Mathias) Schmotzer, Kathleen (Paul) Manners, Alexander Higie, Matthew Bauman, Margaret Bauman, Kyleigh Higie and Benjamin Higie; six great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents and husband she was also preceded in death by one brother, William Gorman.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held in the St. Bernard Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorial contributions in her memory be donated to the Bradford Area Library, 67 West Washington St., Bradford, PA, 16701 or Futures Rehabilitation Center, Inc., 1 Futures Way, Bradford, PA, 16701.
