Richard W. Higgins:
CLASS OF 1963
Presque Isle High SchoolClass of 1963
Presque isle, ME
Husson College - BusinessClass of 1974
Bangor, ME
Richard W. 's Story
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN NORTHERN MAINE AND GRADUATED FROM P.I. HIGH SHOOL IN 1963 AND THAN WENT INTO THE U.S.M.C. WHERE I SPENT 6 YEARS AND TWO TOURS IN SOUTH VIETNAM THROUGH 1965 ~ 1967. I WAS WOUNDED TWICE IN VIETNAM. I RECIEVED MY FIRST PURPLE HEART DURING OPERATION STARLITE, AUGUST 1965. THE SECOND ONE WAS DURING OPERATION DOUBLE EAGLE, OCTOBER 1966. I WAS A CREW CHIEF {DOOR GUNNER} ON A UH-34 HELICOPTER FLYING SUPPORT FOR MEDI-VAC OUT OF MARBLE MOUNTAIN, MABS-36 MAG-16, JUST OUTSIDE DANANG AIR BASE.
AFTER MY SERVICE TIME, I WENT BACK TO COLLEGE AND RECEIVED AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN BUSINESS. AT THAT TIME I MARRIED LINDA ADAMS AND WE HAD TWO CHILDREN SHANE AND ANGELA. LINDA AND I WERE MARRIED FOR TEN YEARS. I LOST HER TO BREAST CANCER. WHILE IN SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA ON BUSINESS FOR THE AIR FORCE,I MET MY WIFE TODAY MARION. WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 34 YEARS. WITH HER THREE CHILDREN AND MINE WE NOW HAVE 16 GRANDCHILDREN AND 5 GREATGRANDCHILDREN. WE LIVED AT ECHO LAKE FOR 19 YEARS IN OUR LOG HOME WE BUILT.
WE RETIRED TO SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA IN THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS IN 1999 WHERE OUR RETIRMENT HOME IS TODAY. IN 2009 MARION DEVELOPED DEMENTIA ISSUES WHICH PROGRESSED DRASTICALLY AND SHE STARTED FALLING AND I THAN HAD TO TAKE CARE OF HER 24/7 UNTIL 2013 SPRING WHEN SHE HAD TO HAVE NUSRING CARE AT HOME AND NOW AT A CARE FACILITY. SHE HARDLY KNOWS ME. MY FAITH IS WHAT SAW ME THROUGH THOSE DIFFICULT TIMES. NOW I AM BACK TO GUIDING BUT TIRED OF BEING ALONE AT TIMES....
AFTER I CAME OUT OF THE SERVICE I WORKED FOR FIRST NATIONAL FOR A FEW YEARS THAN I TOOK A JOB AT LORING AIR FORCE BASE AND WORKED AS A MEAT SPECIALIST, CIVIL SERVICE AT LAFB COMMISSIARY FOR 28 YEARS. I RETIRED FROM CIVIL SERVICE IN 1992 AT THE AGE OF 48.
THAN I STARTED RUNNING MY GUIDE SERVICE FULL TIME SPENDING OVER 300 DAYS IN THE NORTH MAINE WOODS. I CONTINUE TO GUIDE IN MONTANA, IDAHO, COLORADO, LABRADOR AND AND NORTHERN QUEBEC CANADA. I HAVE BEEN A LICENSED MASTER PROFESSIONAL GUIDE FOR OVER FOURTY YEARS NOW, HAVING GUIDED IN MAINE, MONTANA, IDAHO, COLORADO, VIRGINIA, NORTHERN QUEBEC AND LABRADOR. I HAVE BEEN TE...Expand for more
ACHING FLY FISHING PROFESSIONALLY SINCE 1971 FOR ALL AGES.
I AM A MASTER FLY TYER AND DOING MOSTLY ATLANTIC SALMON FLIES NOW. I DO NATURE PHOTO TRIPS, HUNTING, FISHING, CANOEING, WHITE WATER RAFTING AND CANOEING ON THE KENNEBEC RIVER AND LOWER DEAD RIVER. MY CAMP I GUIDE OUT OF IS ON BIG MACHIS LAKE WHICH GIVES ME ACCESS TO THE FISH RIVER CHAIN WHERE I HAVE GUIDED FOR OVER 25 YEARS. HOBBIES INCLUDE SPENDING TIME WITH MY WIFE AND GRANDCHILDREN, AMATUER RADIO WITH THE CALL SIGN "K1HEL", AND GUIDING. I AM A MEMBER OF THE MAINE PROFESSIONAL GUIDES ASSOCIATION AND ALSO THE NATIONAL PROFESSINAL GUIDES ASSOCIATION. I HOLD THE STATE RECORD (AS GUIDE OF THE HUNT) WHICH MY HUNTER RICHARD MOORE OF ALLENTOWN, PA. TOOK A BLACK BEAR WEIGHING 687 LBS. IN SEPTEMBER 1963. THAT BLACK BEAR RECORD STILL HOLDS TODAY.
BACK IN 1980 A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER FROM NEW YORK WAS TAKEN PICTURES FOR A DOCUMENTARY HE WAS DOING. I HAD JUST CAME OUT OF THE NORTH MAINE WOODS NEAR THE CHANDLER DEAD WATER WHEN HE TOOK THE PICTURE OF ME IN WEARING MY HUDSON BAY COAT, MY HAND MADE COYOTE HAT AND BEAR HIDE GLOVES, WITH A FULL BEARD AND SOME OF MY FURS ON MY BACK FROM TRAPPING DEEP IN THE NORTH MAINE WOODS. HE TOOK THE PICTURE THAT IS IN MY PROFILE PICTURES AND WROTE A STORY ABOUT ME NAMING IT MOUNTAIN MAIN "OLE GRIZZ".
THEY STILL CALL ME GRIZZ AND I STILL RETURN TO MAINE DURING LATE SUMMER AND FALL GUIDING AND ENJOYING THE VAST WILDERNESS OF MAINE. MARION STAYS IN VIRGINIA AND LOVES TO WRITE. SHE HAS PUBLISHED ONE BOOK AND IS ON HER SECOND. I AM PRESENTLY PUTTING TOGETHER ALL MY GUIDING EXPERIENCES IN A BOOK CALLED "JOURNEY OF A MAINE MOUNTAIN MAN BY "OLE GRIZZ" I HEAD IN THE SPRING TO MONTANA TO DO SOME FLY FISHING ON THE MADISON RIVER AND IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT. IT IS A ROUGH LIFE BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT. IT MIGHT AS WELL BE ME......
SO THANKS FOR DROPPING BY PILGRIM AND IF YOU EVER GET UP TO THE FISH RIVER CHAIN IN THE FALL, PLEASE GIVE ME A HOLLER. I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFE TIME IN THE WILDERNESS. BEST PERSONAL REGARDS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
GOD BLESS! CHEERS, "GRIZZ"
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