Edward N. Huggins died on May 26, 2025, in Auburn, May.
(The following was provided by Dignity Memorial on May 26, 2025:)
Edward “Ed” Noel Huggins died on Monday, May 26, 2025, in Auburn, ME. He was born on August 4, 1953, in Brunswick, ME, to Mary Little Huggins Wallace and Richard Huggins. Known as Ebby in his younger years, he grew up in Palo Alto, California, and later moved back to Maine, where he spent the rest of his life.
Ed served as a hospital corpsman in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Afterward, he began a career as a plumber, working at places including Bowdoin College, before running his own business in South Portland. He later transitioned into teaching plumbing and heating at Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS), where he worked from 2001 to 2018. He was proud to teach a trade he knew well and appreciated the chance to support young people starting careers.
He married Sarah Glatz in 1992, and together they raised two children, Colin and Hannah. He stayed involved in their lives and their community—coaching tee ball, serving on the local school board, and volunteering with the South Portland Music Boosters. The family also hosted international students and adult learners, which eventually led Ed to spend a summer teaching English in Japan.
Ed met Jill Hurd in 2012, and together they made a life on what they lovingly called The Dragonfly Farm in Auburn. He enjoyed tending to his chickens, vegetables, and flowers, along with a brief but memorable adventure raising turkeys and pigs. You could often find Ed in the garden, weeding and watering alongside his dog, Spike.
Ed spent his time doing things he enjoyed, including skiing with his friends, “The Blokes,” going to concerts with Jill, watching sports, or being at his family’s camp in Wyman Township. He was also the person people called when they needed help. Whether it was a plumbing issue, a ride, or someone to talk to, he rarely said no. He had over thirty-six years of sobriety and stayed involved in the recovery community throughout his life, often serving as a sponsor or mentor.
Ed is survived by his wife, Jill Hurd; her five children; his children, Colin Edward and Hannah Olivia Huggins; son-in-law, Simon Burditt; grandson, Louie Huggins Burditt; and his sister, Sara Caron, and her significant other, Steve Vachon. He is preceded in death by his father, Richard Alva Huggins; brother-in-law, David Caron; stepfather, Dana Wallace; and his mother, Mary Little Huggins Wallace.