Charleston and Guilford – Victorine H. Higgins, 87, wife of the late Donald G. Higgins, passed away Dec. 17, 2016, at Dexter Health Care, in Dexter. She was born July 24, 1929, in Bradford, a twin daughter of Victor C. and Ida M. (Strout) Hanson. Vicki had a wide array of interests and hobbies, perhaps because she always needed to be busy. She especially enjoyed sewing, crafting, and gardening. Along with tending her own flower and vegetable gardens, Vicki volunteered for many years to plant and care for the flowers at the Charleston Honor Roll memorial. Vicki was also involved in several church clubs, the P.T.A., and the Grange in Charleston over the many years she lived there. Vicki was a fierce competitor; she loved to play card games, board games, and bingo, but as much as she loved to play, she also hated to lose. She loved to fish and took a lot of pride in her uncanny ability to always have the largest fish or biggest catch of the day. Christmas was Vicki’s favorite holiday; she loved to shop for her children and grandchildren. Decorating the house and Christmas tree was a yearly highlight long after all the children had grown and gone. She was a very caring and generous mother and grandmother who would do anything to help her family. Although Vicki never had what we today would call a full-time job, she always worked hard at home, keeping a clean house and raising her children. She sometimes took on short-term jobs: working on a potato harvester in the fall, babysitting for local school teachers, janitoring at the local high school, and baking pies for a local restaurant. We will remember waking to the heavenly smell of pickles cooking on the stove in August and the fat bubbling in the pan while donuts fried on snowy winter days. Heaven will be a cleaner, neater place with Vicki there. She will be standing at St. Peter’s side at Heaven’s Gate, directing those who enter to “wipe your feet”. Vicki was predeceased by her parents; her step-father, Clyde Bowley, Sr.; a brother, Manuel Hanson; a twin sister, Madalene Hanson; a sister, Marguerite Hanson; her husband of 50 years, Donald G. Higgins; and two sons, Jerry and Dennis Higgins. Vicki is survived by three daughters, Joyce M. Zimmerman and her husband, Ralph, of Guilford, Patricia A. Miles, and Gail R. Stevenson, both of Dover-Foxcroft; two brothers, Clyde Bowley, Jr. of Guilford and Richard Bowley of Sangerville; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. A graveside memorial service will be held in the spring at the family lot in Charleston Village Cemetery. Arrangements are in the care of the Lary Funeral Home. Condolences may be expressed at www.laryfuneralhome.com.