Mary Ellen Higgins

Mary Ellen (Eleanor) Higgins, age 87, of Elizabeth, NJ died Monday, September 1, 2016 at Riverton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Rahway, NJ. Eleanor's Life Celebration will be on Tuesday, September 6, 2016, from 4-6 p.m., at Gray Funeral Directors, 12 Springfield Avenue, Cranford, NJ. Her funeral mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 7, at St. Michaels Church, 100 Alden Street, Cranford. Interment will follow at Saint Gertrude Cemetery, 53 Inman Avenue Colonia. To leave condolences, please go to www.grayfuneralhomes.com.
Born and raised in Elizabeth, she resided there her entire life. She graduated from St. Mary's High School, in Elizabeth, NJ. She had worked and retired after 46 years of loyal service at BASF in NJ. An avid traveler, she travelled the world and all thru America, she absolutely loved spending a day going to the mall to shop and have dinner with family and friends, she was a sports enthusiast and enjoyed going to the stadiums to watch games but really loved watching a good tennis match. She was a wonderful lifelong friend for many. Mary Ellen never missed an important date in a friend or family members' life. There was always a beautiful card to commemorate the event. She enjoyed writing letters to her extended family members in Roscommon County, Ireland where she had visited. She dearly loved her parents, predeceased, Bridget and Patrick Higgins, along with her brother, Kevin Joseph Higgins, and sister, Theresa Mason both predeceased. Eleanor is survived by her sister-in law, Fran Higgins of Union, Nephews Patrick Mason of Cranford, David Higgins of Cranford, Mark Higgins of Westfield and Niece Kelly Higgins Kraus of Clark and their families.