As a salesman who traveled the world, James Higgins loved nothing more than being at home in Crystal Lake watching his sons, Douglas and Kevin, play hockey. “He loved golfing, fishing and anything that included his family,” said his sister Helen. Mr. Higgins, 47, died of complications from cancer Tuesday, Feb. 3, in Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Born in Chicago, he graduated in 1974 from Bloom Township High School in Chicago Heights, then studied biology at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he met his wife, Andrea. “They were college sweethearts,” his sister said. They married in 1978. Mr. Higgins worked in a lab, then at the Chicago Board of Trade, trading commodities. More than 15 years ago, he began working for Cytec Corp. and at the time of his death was the company’s director of sales for North America. Besides his his wife, sons and sister, survivors include his mother and stepfather, Theresa and Allan Greep; a brother, Tim; and five other sisters, Darlene Flook, Kathy Spiek, Joyce Greep, Teresa Heusing and Mary. Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday in Querhammer and Flagg Funeral Home, 500 W. Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake.
