Former Sanger Mayor passes away

Joe Christal Higgs, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend passed away on July 14, 2024 at the age of 86. He was born on October 3, 1937 in Stoney Texas to the late Huston and Jane Higgs. He married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Elizabeth Gillum, on March 22, 1958, recently celebrating their 66th wedding anniversary.

Joe received both a B.S. and M.S. in Mathematics from North Texas State College (University of North Texas) and enjoyed a successful 30-year teaching and coaching career in the Denton and Sanger Independent School Districts. Affectionately known as ‘Coach Higgs,’ his warm personality, high standards, and moral character positively influenced thousands of students, athletes, and their families. 

Born into a farming family, Joe would continue this legacy throughout his life raising cattle, cotton, maize, wheat, oats and hay in Denton and Cooke Counties. He bought his first 90-acre farm in 1963, and he would continue to expand his successful farming/ranching operation for generations to enjoy. Joe served on the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Board (ASCS) for several decades and received the Resident Conservation Farmer Award for effective soil conservation in Denton County in 1993.

Joe was the epitome of a servant leader and gave generously to his family, church, and community. He was a member of the Sanger City Council for eight years and served as Mayor for two terms. Joe was proud to be a part of Sanger’s growth and development including a new sports complex and new city hall during his tenure. His proudest civic accomplishment, however, was fending off the development of a landfill across from the current location of Sanger High School. 

Joe was a member of the First Baptist Church of Sanger for 72 years and served as deacon for more than 50 years. Having never met a stranger, Joe particularly enjoyed serving on the church welcoming committee where all who entered were greeted with a warm smile and kind word. In 2023, he was recognized for 60 years of membership in the Bolivar Masonic Lodge.

Joe lived by the motto, ‘always root for the home team’ and spent many hours in a gym cheering for the Sanger Indians and his UNT alma mater, the Mean Green. For more than five decades, Joe traveled to the Colorado Rockies and enjoyed camping, hiking, fishing, and skiing. Other hobbies included attending musical theater, studying world history, and traveling the world. His most memorable trip was an Alaskan adventure in 2008, celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary with his entire family.   

He is survived by his wife Elizabeth of Sanger, Texas; son, Joey Higgs of Denton, Texas; daughter, Dr. Christy Crutsinger and her husband Kent of Sanger, Texas; grandchildren, Katie Herring and her husband Jay of Northlake, Texas,  Hunter Higgs, of Denton, Texas; Dr. Collin Crutsinger and his wife Dr. Sarah Jenkins of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma;  Hayden Higgs and his wife Dr. Pepper of Fort Worth, Texas, and Holly Higgs of Denton, Texas;  great-grandchildren, Millie and Huston Herring of Northlake Texas;  sisters, Jackie Prater and Marinel Lewis of Denton, Texas; and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Don and Louann Gillum of Sanger, Texas. 

A celebration of life was held at First Baptist Church Sanger on July 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. with brief visitation from 10:00 am to 10:45 am preceding the service in the church foyer. Burial was held at the Sanger Cemetery immediately following the service. Memorials may be made to the Sanger Education Foundation, ATTN: Joe and Elizabeth Higgs Spirit of Sanger Scholarship Endowment, P.O. Box 429, Sanger, Texas 76266, or online to sangereducationfoundation.org

Services were with Coker Funeral Home in Sanger.  You may offer condolences or share a memory with the Higgs Family at www.cokerfuneralhome.com.