Perkins, Oklahoma - Gareld Glen Higgins passed from this life Tuesday, June 10, 2025. He was 85. A visitation with family greeting friends will be 4-6:00 p.m. Sunday, June 15, 2025 at Strode Funeral Home. Funeral services will begin 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 16, 2025 at Lost Creek United Methodist Church with the Reverend Michael Carpenter and sons-in-law Aaron Box and Andrew Homburg officiating. Interment will follow in Paradise Cemetery. Strode Funeral Home and Cremation is in charge of the arrangements.

A come-and-go celebration of life will be 3-7:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at Shortcakes Diner, 219 N Main, Stillwater.

Glen lived a full life that began January 29, 1940 as one of nine children on a rural farm. Glen's parents were Floyd Jasper and Eva Viola (Majors) Higgins. Glen graduated from Coyle High School and was a star basketball player and devoted member of the FFA. Glen married a high school sweetheart, Sharon Kay Nivens on September 2, 1960 at Coyle Methodist Church. To this union, three children were born, Scott, Todd and Tara.

Glen earned a degree from Oklahoma State University and while he never strayed far from his agriculture roots, Glen found his calling serving others at Shortcakes Diner. A schoolteacher once told Glen he'd never make it past washing dishes and may have been right. Glen, along with his wife Gayla, owned and operated Shortcakes Diner for over forty years and Glen washed more than his share of dishes along the way.

After finding Gayla exhausted in the diner, Glen and Gayla Birmingham married on September 13, 1988. Gayla brought three children of her own to the marriage, Jeff, Kristina and Charley. The pair began operating Shortcakes together and did so through Glen's passing.

Glen has made many, many lifelong friends at Shortcakes and has been a friend and more for employees, regulars, college students and anyone who walked through his doors. Glen's greatest successes came through the relationships he formed. He was truly a character and never missed an opportunity to make a joke or tell a story. Glen found humor in many everyday experiences and continually banked up stories to retell.

Perhaps his most endearing attribute however was his penchant for giving second chances. No matter if it was an orphaned or injured animal, a drunk college kid or a recovering addict, Glen could not help but offer himself to them. He never gave up on those that needed his help and created that culture for his family.

Glen is survived by his wife Gayla, sons Scott (Tonya) Higgins of Cement; Todd (Stacy) Higgins of Stillwater; Jeff (Deanna) Atwood of Stillwater; daughters Tara (Andrew) of Rogersville, MO; Kristina Patterson of Stillwater; Charley (Aaron) Box of Perkins. He is also survived by his brother Kenneth Higgins of Guthrie; eighteen grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and a host of his children's, grandchildren's and great-grand-children's adopted family members.

In lieu of Customary remembrances, the family requests memorial contributions be made in Glen's name to the Coyle School Foundation LLC, PO Box 122, Coyle, OK, 73027 or to the local charity of your choice.

Condolences may be emailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by

visiting www.strodefh.com.