Assistant Treasurer Thanked For Building Bridges In Diocese
As her family members and co-workers gathered for lunch at the Catholic Center, they heard Phyllis Higgins lauded for building bridges in the Diocese of Evansville.
She is retiring as the assistant treasurer in the Office of the Treasurer, a position she has held since September of 1997.
Her duties have included accounting, financials and working with all benefit procedures including pensions and insurance for every employee in the diocese. This includes full-time and part-time as well as retired and active employees.
Box Cox, diocesan treasurer, said of her, “It was apparent that you ‘built bridges’ between the work being done at the Catholic Center and the parish staffs and you kept your sense of humor.”
Tim McGuire, diocesan chief operating officer, agreed, noting she “developed a great rapport with parishes in the diocese [and her office].
She is the daughter of Ivo and Severine (Elpers) Brune, the wife of Dan Higgins, and the mother of Pam (Jamey) Evitts and Angie (Joe) Devers.
She is a 1965 graduate of Rex Mundi High School in Evansville, and she received a degree in accounting from Ivy Tech.
At the lunch, Higgins thanked her family members and co-workers for being with her during the sad and happy times in her life. “You were there when I buried my parents and went through the cancer scare. And you were there when I welcomed my grandchildren, Jake and Katelynn.”
As she heads into retirement, she is planning to “volunteer, have lunch with family members, and go to movies with friends.”
To her replacement she offers this advice: Be patient, be friendly, give a quick response to questions and problems, and be a team player.”
Bishop Charles C. Thompson said that when he was a pastor he learned to distinguish between employees “who saw what they did as a job” and “those saw it as a ministry.
“The way you build bridges and the way you work with people reflects that you live a ministry. It’s apparent that you live your faith, and for that we give thanks.”
