Larettie Edwards Higgins Schmidt, age 99, passed away peacefully on December 20, 2020 at Johnston Health Hospital in Smithfield, NC. She was the daughter of the late Erastus Edwards and Ordie Naylor of Sampson County, NC. She was born on the Trask farm in Beaufort, SC on April 15, 1921 where her father was a farm supervisor for the Trask family of Wilmington, NC. She spent her teen years as a circus performer. Her father, Erastus, trained his children (Larettie, Rusty, Sandy and June) along with the Ross sisters (Vicky, Betsy & Dixie) to be acrobats and contortionists. The Edwards troupe performed with the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus in the late 1930's. The Ross sisters went on to separate celebrity. Larettie left the circus life in 1940 when she married the late Ottis Higgins of Smithfield, NC. For most of her adult life she was a wife and mother. In later life she worked as a caregiver.

Larettie is survived by two children, Jerry Higgins and wife Rebecca of Clayton, NC and Linda Higgins of Raleigh, NC and grandchildren, Jerry Higgins, Jr. of Smithfield, NC, Dr. Allison Higgins, of Denver, CO, Amber Brink of Blounts Creek, NC, and Anna Bowers and husband, Scott of Raleigh, NC, along with several great grandchildren. She is also survived by a niece, Carolyn Muse of Tallahassee, FL.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 23, 2020 in the chapel of Parrish Funeral Home. A private graveside service will be held at Harnett Baptist Church in Sampson County at a later date.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be sent to a charity of one's choice.