Reverend GeraldHIGHAMReverend Gerald Norman Higham passed away peacefully at Royal Blackburn Hospital on Friday, October 15, aged 81. He leaves behind his wife Valerie and daughter Rachel. He was born in Westhoughton in 1940. He worked at the NatWest Bank in Hindley before training for the Priesthood at St. Aidan’s College, Birkenhead and was ordained in 1969. He was Curate at St. Michael’s Church, Garston in the Liverpool Diocese where he met and married Valerie in 1970. His second Curacy was at St. Nicholas Church, Blundellsands. He then moved to Bolton where he was Vicar at All Soul’s with St. James Church, where Rachel was born in 1974. He moved in 1978 to be Vicar of St. Michael’s Church, Tonge-cum-Alkrington, Middleton, and then in 1984 to be Priest-in-Charge of Edenfield Parish Church and St. Philip’s Church, Stubbins. He retired to live in Helmshore in 2003, but continued to minister to a number of congregations in both the Manchester and Blackburn Dioceses. In June 2019 he celebrated 50 years of Ordination to the Priesthood. During his ministry he was also Chaplain to the Mayor of Rossendale and to the Helmshore Branch of the Royal British Legion. For a while he was also a Chaplain to The Mission to Seafarers and more recently to the Accrington Deanery Mothers’ Union. Gerald was a member of both Middleton and Ramsbottom Rotary Clubs where he served as Treasurer, President and then in 2001 to 2002 he became District Governor for District 1280. For a number of years, he was also the Chair of the Rossendale British Heart Foundation. He had a passion for cricket and was a dedicated member of Lancashire Cricket Club, and often went to watch them play at Old Trafford. Above all Gerald had a passion for people and loved being able to carry out his ministry and vocation to a wide range of Parishes, communities, families and individuals. Val and Rachel would like to thank everyone for their support during this difficult time and in particular for the kind words, cards, letters and messages. A Eucharist funeral service will take place on Friday, November 5 at 1pm at St Thomas’ Church, Helmshore. Family flowers only. Donations in memory of Gerald to The British Heart Foundation, The Royal British Legion, Rotary Foundation and St Thomas’ Church, Helmshore, c/o funeral director Caroline Holden-Dewhurst for Johnson Durning & Woods, Haslingden.
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