Richard Vance Higginbotham

Richard Vance Higginbotham March 25, 1931 - September 23, 2018 The only son of four children born to R. V. and Florene (Hardcastle) Higginbotham, Richard was born in Sherman, TX, and grew up in the rural outskirts of Miami, OK. He told his children stories of his life on the farm -- cutting and carrying stove wood, feeding animals, and doing his studies by the light of an oil lamp. He attended Wyandotte (OK) High School, but left to join the Army, at age 17. He was a Corporal in the 99th Field Artillery Bn., 1st Cavalry Div., and a decorated Korean War Veteran, serving with the Military Police in Japan, and in communications during his time in Korea. He was employed at the B. F. Goodrich Tire plant in Miami, OK and by the Bayly Corporation in Sanger, CA where he repaired industrial sewing machines and invented attachments to improve the process. After retirement, Richard was a product development consultant for Macro Plastics, Inc., where he designed a cross-tire iron to secure stacks of MacroBins onto trucks without damaging the bins, and a prototype sealing lid for the Macro T-Bin. An avid fisherman and successful at hobby metal-detecting, Richard loved to tell stories to his family. Family meant everything to him. He loved them and was deeply loved in return. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters – Jackie Essex and Polly Edwards; and his wife, Billie Martin Higginbotham. He is survived by a sister, Ann Brumback and husband Glenn of Goodman, MO; his children: Lynne Lollis and husband Floyd of Cypress, TX; Teena Shields and husband Ken of Powell Butte, OR and Mike Higginbotham and wife Stefanie of Clovis, CA; grandchildren: Travis Lollis, Maggie, Andrew and Kadie Higginbotham; great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces, very dear friends, and colleagues. He will be greatly missed by all. A graveside service, presided by Reverend Mark Lollis of Catoosa, OK, with military honors conducted by the American Legion, will be held at the Fairland Cemetery in Fairland, Oklahoma, at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 6th. The family wishes to thank Brown-Winters Funeral Home, Miami & Fairland, Oklahoma; the Grove, Oklahoma American Legion; Boice Funeral Home, Clovis, California; and those family and friends who have expressed kind wishes and shared cherished memories.