John Thomas Higgins

John T. Higgins, 68, of Cheshire, CT, passed away on August 8, 2025, of heart complications while riding his bicycle on a favorite route in Cheshire. John is survived by his devoted wife Margaret; his children, JP (Katie), Brian, and Meghan; his brothers Neil (Arlene), Pat (Mary Ellen), Brendan (Liz), and Bob (Eileen); as well as his nieces, nephews, and godchildren on both the Higgins and Mensching sides of his family. He, his parents, and his brothers were lucky to enjoy a special relationship with the Mensching family, who were close friends to the Higgins’ long before he and Margaret were married. John was honored to be an in-law of the Mensching clan, or, as he affectionately referred to himself, “One of the new people.”

John began life in Baldwin, New York, where he would develop deep friendships that would carry him throughout his life, none more so than with his wife, Margaret, who attended grade school and junior high with him. The two were reunited in 1984 (thanks to some behind-the-scenes help from Betty and John Higgins and Rosemary and Bill Mensching) and were married on July 5, 1986. They enjoyed 39 years of wonderful marriage together and recently got the chance to celebrate their anniversary, as they often did, in the Adirondacks.

John’s life was one defined and sustained by friendship. Among the many friendships he maintained over the years, none were stronger than with the “Turks,” a group of friends from Baldwin and beyond that served John and his family as a third extended family, in addition to the two incredible families they have been blessed with. The Turks have (and continue to have) many traditions and gatherings each year, but John’s favorite was always the Granite Man Triathlon in Wolfboro, New Hampshire, known affectionately as “the Tri.” Just last year, John and the Turks celebrated their 40th consecutive Tri, a feat that was accomplished in part by John’s drive to never miss an event with friends, no matter the circumstances.

John had a deep love for sports, first as a basketball player for St. Christopher’s, Baldwin High School, Wagner College, and Rider University, and later finding joy in running and cycling. As a basketball player, John received a full scholarship to Rider University, where he majored in business. His friend Bob Deleeuw, aka “Bones,” would be remiss if it were not mentioned that among other accomplishments, John and his teammates once beat Hall-of-Fame basketball coach and 3x National Champion Jim Calhoun. After college, John even spent a summer playing semi-professional basketball in Venezuela.

As a fan, John was a lover of New York sports, especially the Knicks and the Mets, and had a healthy sense of humor that came with the territory. He had fond memories of early Knicks championships and the 1986 World Series and was able to spend the final year of his life enjoying some great moments by his favorite teams with family and friends. John also adopted his son Brian’s love of the Green Bay Packers, and his status as an owner of the team was a source of some pride and many jokes.

To John, sports and athletics were not only a chance to find the best in oneself, but also to celebrate and help bring out the best in others. While John enjoyed his daily rides around town, especially on the Linear Trail (with a stop or two at Kinsmen Brewing, Witch Doctor Brewing, or Mikro), he never took greater joy than when he was cycling for a cause. This began with the Pan-Mass Challenge, which he rode with the Turks several times over the years, and continued with gusto with annual century rides with JDRF (now Breakthrough T1D). John rode in honor of, and alongside, his daughter Meghan, who has Type 1 Diabetes, joined by more and more family and friends each year. John approached fundraising like a full-court press and was a top fundraiser nearly every year since he began riding for JDRF in 2015. He also developed great friendships within the Greater CT and Western MA chapter and enjoyed many rides with the group around town. In recent years, John also raised money for the Cheshire food pantry with “Poundin’ and Peddlin’ for the Pantry,” an invention of his and fellow St. Bridget parishioner Anthony Nigilo. Each year, John rode 100 miles to the Massachusetts border while Anthony ran 33 miles. This past June, John and Anthony were joined by John’s son JP for the running portion.

John’s friendships at St. Bridget parish were of deep importance to him. He had an unshakeable sense of faith that went hand-in-hand with his Irish Catholic heritage. Throughout his life, he was an example of both in their truest and best senses; John was kind to all he met, always there to lend an encouraging word in times of hardship, always quick to put friends and family first, and loved nothing more than enjoying laughter, music, and good cheer, especially at a good Irish pub. John visited Ireland twice, first in 1989 with Margaret, and again in 2016 with his family.

John was raised by his parents, Betty and John, on Irish folk music and carried that love of music with him the rest of his life. Among his favorites were the Allman Brothers, Derek and the Dominoes, Van Morrison, Jimmy Buffett, and, of course, Bruce Springsteen. When asked about how many times he’d seen “The Boss,” John was legitimately uncertain of the answer, but Bruce concerts with John were an experience that many were able to enjoy and treasure.

John’s family is happy to know that he spent plenty of time this summer at the Higgins family cabin in the Adirondacks. John had many happy days there over the years and even helped build the house with his own father in the 1970s. Whether cycling, kayaking, or simply enjoying time by the lake, Wells was an immensely special place to John. In his later years, John was able to bring his love of the outdoors to all corners of the country, visiting many National Parks with Margaret and taking annual trips to Utah and the Mountain West to see Brian and Meghan.

Spending time with his immediate family was John’s greatest joy in life. No matter the venue, whether it was a Springsteen show, a weekend upstate, or just a night spent laughing around the family table, John always took great joy in the joy of his wife and children, and was always quick and easy to show his pride in them.

John will be deeply missed by all who knew him and always remembered in the gifts that he was so free to share with others.

Visitation for John will be held on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, from 2-4 p.m. and from 6-8 p.m.at the Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire, 615 S. Main St. On Thursday morning, John’s funeral procession will leave the funeral home at 9:30 and process to St. Bridget Church for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family in St. Bridget Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Bridget of Sweden Parish, 175 Main St., Cheshire, CT 06410, or to Breakthrough T1D (Type 1 Diabetes) by clicking here, or to the Cheshire Food Pantry by clicking here.