Neal Higginbotham

Services for Neal A. Higginbotham, 70, Osawatomie, were Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Penwell-Gabel Paola Chapel.
Burial followed in Stanton Cemetery in rural Miami County.
Mr. Higginbotham died Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009, at Olathe Medical Center.
He was born May 17, 1939, to Ira S. and Essie M. Vanderbilt Higginbotham in Bethel. He grew up in the Tonganoxie area and graduated from high school in 1957.
He entered the United States Navy in 1958 after high school and served 22 years active and eight years inactive for a total of 30 years. On Dec. 30, 1960, Neal married Mary E. O’Brien in Independence, Mo. To this union, two children, Brenda and Neal Jr., were born. In the summer of 1979, they moved to Osawatomie. He was employed at the Osawatomie State Hospital for six months and then at Unified School District 368 as a maintenance director for more than 20 years before retiring. His memberships included the IOOF No. 4 Lawrence, AF and AM No. 339 Lane, OES No. 307 Parker, Elks No. 921 Osawatomie, American Legion No. 204 Osawatomie, DAV No. 34 Johnson County, FRA No. 161 Kansas City, Kan., Scottish Rite Wichita, Shrine Wichita, Miami County Airport Assoc., Kansas Old Timer Pickers and Fiddlers, and Rebekah Lodge No. 336 Osawatomie. His hobbies were flying, traveling, camping, listening to music, karaoke, going to Branson, Mo., and spending time with family and friends. He enjoyed going to RV, car, boat and monster truck shows and watching football and basketball games.
Neal was preceded in death by his parents and one grandson. Survivors are wife Mary, of the home; daughter, Brenda Sue Schull, Osawatomie; son, Neal Alvin Higginbotham, Jr., Joplin, Mo.; sisters, Elsie Cordel, Paola, and Donna Guthrie, Moberly, Mo.; brother, Loren Higginbotham, Mapleton; brother, Keith Higginbotham, Osawatomie; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or the Osawatomie Rebekah Lodge No. 336.