Elisabeth Spoden Higgs, 96 of Fairmont, WV, passed peacefully on May 11, 2023. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Victor C. "June" Higgs, Jr. Elli was born in Bochom-Langendreer near Essen,Germany on June 26, 1926. Elli was the daughter of Peter, Sr. and Gertrude Sauerbier Spoden and sister to Peter Spoden and Gerda Spoden Stein.  When Elli was two or three, the family moved to Essen.  Elli met Victor in Essen where he was stationed as a member of the Military Police in the American Zone. They were married there on November 6th, 1948. Elli came to the U.S. in December, 1949 when Victor returned to be demobilized.

Almost ninety-seven and what a life. Elli grew up in Germany as the Nazis came to power and led the world into war.  She and her family survived Allied bombing of the munitions factory in Essen until she was evacuated as part of Germany's Kinderlandverschickung (KLV), the German program that took children and their teachers from the war-torn cities to relative safety in the countryside and smaller towns. Under the KLV Elli went to Nördlingen, Prague, and Ulm, where she took many roles in her young life, including teaching girls she was barely older than and spending "safe time" away from her family. After arriving in Fairmont she and June raised five boys. Elli was a longtime member of St Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church and the Newman Center at Fairmont State College. She was very active in the church and supported the Sisters of St Joseph in church and school activities. Elli loved skiing, both water and snow. She loved swimming in Tygart Lake in her nineties. Elli was an early volunteer with the dive and rescue squad and still scuba dived in her sixties. She camped and hiked and was part of our family outdoor upbringing. An award-winning jewelry artist in West Virginia and an inaugural featured artist at the Tamarac Art Center here in West Virginia. She was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award by Governor Underwood for her promotion of arts and crafts in West Virginia.

Elli was predeceased by her husband Victor, Jr; son Victor C Higgs III; grandsons Victor C Higgs IV and Brandon A Higgs. Elli is survived by Michael L and Jeanne B Higgs, Mark A Higgs, Scott B Higgs, and Dr George B and Kerri Higgs; daughter-in-law Susan L Higgs; two honorary sons Peter L Ang and J Robert Baker; nine grandchildren Michael L and Delaney M Higgs Jr, Jonah A and Janelle M Higgs, Megan C Ferguson, Natasha M Higgs, Erin M Ferguson, Graham S Higgs, Molly Jane Higgs, Molly Loraine Shaver, Conner J Higgs and three great grandchildren; Emma M Higgs, Bryce A Higgs and Shepherd O Higgs. A Funeral Mass with Deacon David Lester homilist will be held at St Peter The Fisherman Catholic Church in Fairmont WV on Friday June 9th at 10 am followed by a luncheon in the Lambert Hall. The burial will be at 2pm at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton WV. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.domicofh.com.