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Higgs, Benjamin William -
Our ‘Shropshire Lad’ has gone home to rest. On August 3, Benjamin William Higgs left us quietly, with a song in his heart.
Born in Birmingham in 1919, son of a blacksmithing family, Ben spent his youth cycling the hills and dales ‘round the Wrekin’.
Taken prisoner at Dunkirk, Ben endured five years as a prisoner of war until finally liberated from a camp in Poland.
He came home a hero and soon met his wife Nellie May, had a daughter Diane, and with his new family, emigrated to Canada, a land of promise. He proudly had a hand in producing the Avro Arrow but family obligations called them back to England in 1955.
They purchased a small shop and from then to retirement, Ben was the much-loved newsagent on the Bristol Road in Selly Oak.
The rest of Ben’s 96 years found him in Oshawa, reunited with his family - Diane, Dave, David, Sacha and great grandkids Alexandria and Brayden.
He stayed in his home and was surrounded with the very best of Canadian care and to all the folks who looked after him – thank you for a job well done – you should be proud.
We will have a celebration of Ben’s life at Armstrong Funeral Home, 124 King Street East, Oshawa, on Saturday, August 20th at 12.00 p.m. All are welcome, but please no flowers. Any donations to the Red Cross would be more than appreciated. To place an online condolence please visit www.armstrongfuneralhome.net


Oh, and Ben, ‘up the Blues!’