Phyllis Higgins (-10 June 2010)

Phyllis Higgins, a pacifist and a volunteer with the WRI (and other pacifist organisations), has died on June 10th, 2010. She will be remembered with kindness by the many WRI activists to whom she had extended her hospitality while they were staying in London. Below are several personal accounts and messages written in her memory.

"I first met Phyllis Higgins not so long ago. It was in the fall of 2006 - she was already 90 then - when I came to London for a WRI meeting, and was told that I would be staying at her home in Westminster. My flight delayed, I arrived rather late at night to find the door left open for me, and a bed waiting for me next to what looked like a big desk (and turned out later to be an 18th-century piano). On that occasion, and on many others (I ended up staying with Ms. Higgins regularly over the course of the next several years) I would usually spend most of the day at the WRI office, coming back late in the evening, but the mornings were the time when I had a chance to talk with my host and listen to her recounting episodes from her long life - about the bomb alarm that startled her when she was a young child in World War I, about the ruins London was in after the World War that followed it, about her journey to Palestine in the 1940s, about her community work and her deep mistrust of the police who often came to harass her because she gave shelter to ex-convicts, about the meetings of the Fellowship of Reconciliation that she used to attend, and also about her friends and carers and her church. Like that antique piano in her sitting room, she was for me in a way a very special relic of long-gone days, but more than that, hers was a rare and special sound."

Sergeiy Sandler, Israel

"I stayed at Mrs. Higgins house in November of 2009 when I was in London for three days to participate at a conference of the Movement for the Abolition of War. Our common friend Roberta had established the contact and without knowing me Mrs. Higgins immediately agreed to let me stay at her house. I remember her as an incredible warm and openhearted woman who enjoyed to help and to have people around her. We had tea together on all the days that I stayed and she enjoyed to have company and told me stories about her childhood, about Northern Ireland and about the time when she continuously had her house full with guests from all over the world. I will never forget her hospitality and kindness".

Teresa Huhle, Bremen, Germany

Phyllis,

Your door always open, the entrance to your heart.

Your hands always ready, a sign of your generosity

Your look always strong, example of determination.

Your life always committed, example of solidarity.

Thanks from the heart for your welcoming and example.

A warm Hug,

Alberto Estefania

"Back in 1998 when I arrived to work to WRI we needed people to host our participants who were coming to executive meetings and other events in London. We were also preparing for our Triennial in Porec as we met often in London to prepare and organise. It is in this context that with the help of Martyn Lowe we looked at lists of people who had volunteered with us and were up to help out and welcome our people. In this way we activated our links to Mrs. Phyllis Higgins and Mitzi Bales. Mrs. Higgins had been an active member of Pax Christi and Amnesty and could not any longer participate outdoors, so she opened her home to many of our guests. She went beyond her call of duty as she engaged in the issues and attended many of our events and bravely tried to be as self reliable as possible. I am certain many of our executive members over the years could say many things about her.

Once I left London I kept in touch with her and twice saw her in my home not far from Limavady where she came accompanied by old friends. I visited her at least twice a year in London and she always yearned to come back to her home town she had left over 50 years ago. She did solidarity work during "The Troubles" supporting people affected by the conflict who had left and gone to England. She was also invited by well known political figures in London to visit prisoners - in reserved missions - in order to support the people fleeing the troubles and invite them to engage in reconciliation.

Since I live in Northern Ireland I often asked her to host people who were travelling to London. She really loved it and it was also a way she felt helpful. In reality she had much to say and was a good listener, so everybody got out something from being together. Her tenacity and positive attitude will always be inspirational.

The last time I visited her was Easter of this year when I went to say hello to her with Eva and we had quite a good chat. She enjoyed the Easter eggs we brought her like a child and ate one immediately. She again said she wanted to come to die here in Limavady, though was very positive and looking into the bright side of her limited life. She told me a lot about her past peace work and how much she missed having WRI people. This is how I will remember her. I rang her every second Sunday to have a chat. We had a good laugh Sunday the 6th of June and when I rang again on the 20th I heard that she was gone.

In appreciation of her being, her positive attitude, her natural commitment to peace and pacifism, I write these spontaneous words so that she is remembered amongst our people and we learn & experience how to be nonviolent as a way of life."

Roberta Bacic