Mack C. Higgins passed away on Aug. 6 at the age of 77 in Blacksburg. Born in Christiansburg on Dec. 4, 1945, Mac was a loving and protective father, brother, and husband, a devoted firefighter, a car enthusiast, and race car driver.
Mac was a car and racing fanatic. Taking the driving skills he learned as a rebellious teenager running moonshine, he became a pioneer of professional truck racing. He was one of the first and only drivers to race Ford trucks when racing legend Buck Baker started the first pickup truck racing series that would eventually become today’s NASCAR Truck Series. In his later years, he maintained his love of cars, taking his “hot rods” out for a spin and going to local cruise-ins.
A proud Christiansburg High School Blue Demon, Mac maintained close friendships with his Class of 1964 classmates through his entire life.
In adulthood, he carried on his family legacy, running the family-owned Higgins Oil Company for many years. Dedicated to public service, Mac was a lifetime member of the Galax Volunteer Fire Department. He took pride in serving the community and shared those values with his children, taking them along on fire calls and involving them in GVFD activities.
Throughout his entire life, Mac loved spending time at his family farm at Cripple Creek, or as he liked to call it, “My Montana.” There, he spent quality time fishing, riding four-wheelers through “Sugar Hollow,” and enjoying the fresh mountain air and beautiful scenery. Cripple Creek is where he will be laid to rest so his family will know he is there with them always.
Mac is survived by three children and sons-in-law, Leslie Lundy and David Lundy, James Higgins and Scot Bearden, and Josh Higgins and Tyler Kraus; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Sandra Mohney, Andy Mohney, Debra McLafferty and Charles McLafferty; two grandchildren, Aaron Lundy and Kelly Lundy; and two nieces, Jennifer Mohney and Clair McLafferty. He was preceded in death by his parents, E. Garland Higgins and Alice Lou Henderson Kjeldsen, formerly of Galax.
The Higgins family thanks the wonderful staff at English Meadows Senior Living in Blacksburg who helped Mac feel safe and at home – especially his “good buddies” Brittney, Jennifer, LaDonna, Robin, and Larry. The Higgins family would also like to extend a heartfelt deep thank you to Medi home health and hospice, specifically, Dads primary nurse, Britney Back, for the kind, gentle and compassionate handling of our dad in his last hours.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at 11 a.m. at the Galax Fire Department.