Mrs. Lexy Higgins

MRS. Lexy Higgins, of Wrack Road, Ballymartin, who died in Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, on August 8, has strong connections with Ardglass, Killough and Downpatrick.

Lexy was the fifth child born to Ned and Jo Smyth. She was just six years old when her family moved from Belfast to Ardglass at the start of the Troubles.

Lexy enjoyed her new found freedom and soon became popular in the Ardglass community, as was displayed by the number of Ardglass and Killough people who attended her funeral.

On leaving school Lexy started her career in floristry, first training and working with Gerry and Mary Murray in Petals and Pots in Downpatrick and later establishing her own business in Forget-Me-Not, Kilkeel.

She was an astute businesswoman and enjoyed her many years in Newry Street.

During this time she met and married the love of her life, Joe, and they were blessed with their beautiful daughter, Eennie.

It was through Eennie’s interest in speech and drama that Lexy started a new career. Her book of poetry, entitled ‘Where Do Balloons Go?’, received excellent reviews when it was published.

Lexy had many strings to her bow. Besides her poetry, she was a radio presenter and through her Internet TV chat show, ‘Chat Lexy Chat’, she was lucky to have interviewed many local celebrities.

An acclaimed after-dinner speaker and story teller, she was very well known in the primary school scene across the North of Ireland and was recognised on various occasions as “the witch who told the scary stories.”

Lexy was an amazing lady and in her words, “had a fantastic life.”