Hillsdale College alumnus and longtime board of trustees member Stephen S. Higley died on June 22 at age 79 and was honored in a service at Christ Chapel on Sept. 20.
“People who knew Steve should know that he was a fine man, dutiful, cheerful, effective, always about doing good things,” College President Larry Arnn said. “Any who knew him knew this. Any who know his family or his contributions to the college and its governance know this.”
Born July 3, 1943, in Detroit, Higley moved to Hillsdale County with his family when he was young. He remained for many years and graduated from Hillsdale College in 1966. He served on the board of trustees for 38 years, was the president of the alumni association from 1981 to 1982, and was the recipient of the Charger Award and the Alumni Recognition Award. He is survived by his wife Roberta Higley ’66, their three children, and six grandchildren.
“Steve Higley was an amazing man, a product of Hillsdale, Michigan,” board member and emeritus chairman Bill Brodbeck ’66 said. “He was born, raised, educated from K-12 here before attending Hillsdale College and he went on to have an incredible career in the steel industry, working for many noted firms in positions of high power before going out on his own.”
Brodbeck was Higley’s classmate, lifelong friend, and fellow trustee.
Fellow board member Mark Hamlin learned about Hillsdale and eventually joined the board because of his personal and professional friendship with Higley.
“Steve was simply one of the wisest, most fair, most gracious, and all around best guys I’ve known, business or otherwise,” Hamlin said. “For all of us who called Steve a friend, that friendship was rare indeed, because of the kind of guy Steve was.”
He said Higley was a professional mentor to him.
“He was known in our extremely competitive industry for his gift, which was his way with people,” Hamlin said. “It did not matter how big or small your company or position — Steve treated everyone with the same respect, warmth, and consideration. Steve cared about the common man. To him, everyone was important.”
Hamlin said he thinks Higley’s upbringing in the Hillsdale community and his education at the college shaped him into who he was.
“I think Steve liked and identified more with the little guy than with the big shot he became,” he said.
Hamlin said his love for his family was one of his greatest attributes. It was apparent everywhere, even in board meetings.
“Most of our conversations started with business, but if a legal question came up, he very proudly told the board that he was going to check with Roberta, as she was a practicing lawyer,” Hamlin said.
He was also passionate about Hillsdale College, Hamlin said.
“When it came to Hillsdale, the word that defines Steve was zealot,” he said. “You couldn’t change his mind and he wouldn’t change the subject.”
Arnn said the same.
“He thought that the life here was worthy for its own sake,” Arnn said. “Steve felt the benefits of the college. He had the intellect to understand what they were. He had the character to be grateful for them. And he had the generosity to give back to the college.”
His service to Hillsdale is his greatest legacy, Arnn said.
“Colleges don’t have the continuity they used to have. Sad, dangerous, but that’s true,” he said. “Our college has not suffered that fate. It’s a proud thing. It’s the central blessing. It’s been kept alive because it’s been dutifully kept alive.”
Arnn said the people keeping it alive — the millions of supporters and the 2,600 students, faculty, and staff — do so out of love.
“If you take any one of them away, the college would be less. If you take Steve Higley and his 57 years away, it would be infinitely less,” he said. “What they’re giving back, I think it’s a testament to what a human being actually is. I think what we do is never lost. In the fullest time, it is recovered in heaven, but it lives here until that day comes and it will not go away. Hillsdale College will be eternally grateful to Steve Higley.”
