W. C. Howard Higginbottom, of Pauls Valley, passed away March 11, 2015 in Sulphur, Oklahoma at the age of 88 years.
Howard was born March 10, 1927 in Boswell, Oklahoma to Walker Clayton and Frankie Dee (Edge) Higginbottom and was raised in the Boswell area.
Before entering the U. S. Army, during World War II, he worked as a Farmer and Cowboy. In the Army he earned the rank of Sergeant and was a Tank Instructor. After his Tour of Duty he and Eulema Jones were married in DeQueen, Arkansas on December 21, 1946. They moved to California and began their family. In 1966 they returned and made their home in Pauls Valley. For over 30 years he worked as a Driller in the Oil Fields for Shebester, Incorporated and retired in 1987. Howard was a member of the Pentecostal Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walker Clayton and Frankie Dee Higginbottom; wife, Eulema Higginbottom on January 19, 1996; two brothers, Lonnie and Clyde Higginbottom; and one sister, Georgia.
Surviving family include his three sons, Don Higginbottom and his wife, Debi, Larry Higginbottom, and Garry Higginbottom and his wife, Leila; five sisters, Fern of California, Sylvia, Jimmie, Vannie and Carolyn are all of Oklahoma; three brothers, Walter of California, Nelson of North Carolina, and David of Oklahoma; three grandchildren, Clayton, Jack and his wife, Cindy, and Daubi Aaron and her husband, Shane; eight great-grandchildren, Damian, Jackson, Jakob, Joshua, Jesse, Jarron, Baylee and River; and special friend, Alma Morgan .
Graveside funeral services will be held Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 2:00 pm at the Soper Cemetery Pavilion in Soper, Oklahoma officiated by Larry Harrington. Interment will be at Soper Cemetery in Soper, Oklahoma, 74759. Services are entrusted to the Stufflebean-Coffey Funeral Home in Pauls Valley.
