Ed Higganbotham

Funeral Service for George "Ed" Higganbotham, 93 of Lawton will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 20, 2017 at Cameron Baptist Church with Rev. Mike Teel, officiating..

Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery following his funeral service. 

Mr. Higganbotham passed away on July 16, 2017 in Lawton, Oklahoma. 

There will be a special visitation on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home. 

Ed was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 29, 1924 to Louis Ernest and Agnes Monica (Mosley) Higganbotham. He grew up in Oklahoma City where he attended school. 

In 1942 Ed entered the Army Air Force as a airplane engine mechanic.  During his time in the service; he was stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX.  For his serviced he was awarded the World War II Victory  medal, a Good Conduct medal, and an Army Service Ribbon. 

In 1943 while on weekend pass; Ed was traveling by bus from Wichita Falls, TX to Oklahoma City, OK.  The bus stopped in Lawton, OK to pick up passengers to take to Marlow, OK.  Several passengers boarded the bus and this is when Ed met the love of his life, Mable Riley.  Mable was on her way from Lawton to Marlow to visit her family. On September 16th, 1944, they married at the Baptist church in Troy, Kansas.  Throughout their 72 years of marriage; they  lived in Kansas, Missouri, Texas, and Oklahoma.   Then in 1964 they settled in Lawton, Oklahoma.  

After leaving the Army Air Force in 1946, Ed began college.   In 1953 he  graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the Oklahoma City University.  He was a Certified Public Accountant.  From 1953 to 1956 Ed worked for the Oklahoma Transportation Company.  From 1956 to 1962 he for worked for Halliburton as an accountant.  In 1962 he went to work at Fort Sill for the Federal Government as an auditor.  Ed worked his way up to being the post's chief of accounting, a position he held until his retirement on December 31, 1988.  

In his leisure time, Ed was a amateur radio operator who had obtained the highest FCC radio operator license, the amateur extra.  His call sign was N5AUK.  At the age of 19, he joined the national amateur radio organization, the American radio relay league.  When Ed was not on the radio he could be found bicycling.  He was an avid bike rider and enjoyed participating in local road rallies. 
Ed volunteered with the Oklahoma Southern Baptist  Disaster Relief Organization; he also helped prepare taxes for the public free of charge through the AARP tax aide.   

Ed is survived by his son, Tom Higganbotham of Magnolia, TX; his daughter, Nancy Ann and son in law,  Billy Paul Eakins of Elgin, OK; his grandchildren, Billie Anne and Bob Whipp of Lawton, OK, Robert and Lisa Eakins of Elgin, OK, Janet and Nick Wiley of Elgin, OK, Clint and Melani Higganbotham of Longmont, CO, and Tara and Eddie Mayes of Magnolia, TX.  He also has 11 Great Grandchildren; 3 Great Great Grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He also leaves behind his dear friend, Erica Messer.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Mable; two sisters, Dorothy King and Marie Davis; and two brothers, John Higganbotham and Alfred Higganbotham. 

In lieu of flowers; memorial contributions can be made to the Cameron Baptist Church of Lawton, Senior Adult Department.

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