Howard Higholt†: Decades of devoted support
After his wife, Carlisle Wrigley Sullivan Higholt ’57, passed away in 1979, Howard Higholt (1936-2020) made a commitment to continue supporting her alma mater. For more than 40 years, Howard was a devoted and enthusiastic Mayfield benefactor. He stepped forward as a leadership sponsor for every single Mayfield Benefit, and was a familiar face at those springtime fundraising galas. Over the years, he came to think of our Mayfield family as his family, and looked forward to the annual reunions—he rarely missed a Benefit!
But we certainly missed Howard at our “Rhapsody in Red” Benefit, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Strub Hall. That same evening, on March 7, 2020, the Lord had prepared another banquet for him in Heaven, where he was finally reunited with his beloved wife, his sons, Marc and Jonathan, and other dear friends and family. But our generous benefactor and friend was certainly with us in spirit.
But we certainly missed Howard at our “Rhapsody in Red” Benefit, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Strub Hall. That same evening, on March 7, 2020, the Lord had prepared another banquet for him in Heaven, where he was finally reunited with his beloved wife, his sons, Marc and Jonathan, and other dear friends and family. But our generous benefactor and friend was certainly with us in spirit.
Howard also supported every Mayfield capital campaign, helping to build the Hayden Building and the Sr. Mary Wilfrid Yore Gymnasium, and supporting various remodeling projects during the Faith in Our Future campaign. During his lifetime, he also became a member of the Bellefontaine Society, Mayfield’s legacy giving group. Howard’s parting gift to Mayfield was a transformative estate gift to boost our endowment fund—a reflection of his strong belief that Catholic education changes the lives of young women.
Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.
