Oklahoma Obituaries
The 1901 Higginbotham Murders
(The following article was written by Hugh D. Corwin, secretary of the
Great Plains Historical Association)
In the early days of this southwestern are there were many gunfights and
killings, but none that attracted more attention than a triple killings which
occurred Dec. 21, 1901, five miles northwest of the town of Sterling, Oklahoma
territory, in Comanche county.
Finus Berry, Fletcher, who was cowboy in the area at that time, learned of the
killings a few hours after they happened.
He and several other cowboys were rounding up cattle for their employer’s
preparing to move them to the "Big Pasture" in the south part of Comanche
county. As Mr. Berry relates the story: He and his co-workers were rounding up
strays for the cattle company. On the morning of Dec. 21, 1901, they saw a
settler named Standridge riding fast toward them. When he rode up Standridge
told them that he had just heard that three men were killed in a hay camp a
short distance to the west.
The men rode to the tent of a homesteader known as "Preacher Jackson," who
confirmed the story that three men had been shot and killed that morning. On
investigating, the group found the bodies of a Mr. Higginbotham and his two
sons, who had been bailing hay in the area all the fall of 1901.
The Higginbotham family had a homestead in the area west of Signal Mountain
where they made their home. The father and four sons were harvesting prairie hay
on the land east of the military reservation and selling it to the Army at Fort
Sill, according to Berry. Mrs. George Crane, of Lawton, then Miss Lora Hadley,
was a friend and neighbor of the Higginbotham family, they having been old
neighbors near Yukon, Okla., before moving to the area west of Signal Mountain.
Both Mrs. Crane and Walter P. South of Lawton, who was also a neighbor and later
a schoolmate of the younger Higginbothams, have furnished interesting bits of
history of this triple killing.
The evening of the day before the killing, John Roberts, a settler about 35
years of age, who was living in a tent with his wife and five year-old son, had
a quarrel and fight with Higginbotham and his three sons. As all accounts seem
to agree, the Higginbothams got the best of Roberts in the fight and his
revolver and a pair of "knucks" were taken from him by the Higginbothams.
Frank Novak, 91 year-old pioneer, on whose farm the first of the killings
occurred, relates the story: On the evening of Dec. 20, 1901, he and two
bachelor friends, Jim and Frank Dolezal, were in Novak's dugout home, about five
miles northwest of Sterling. During the evening John Roberts rode up on
horseback, called out and was invited in by Novak, who was a bachelor at the
time.
When Roberts entered the dugout the three friends were startled to see his face
was all bloody and he appeared to have been in a fight. Roberts told of the
quarrel and a fight a short time before between him and the Higginbothams over a
few bales of hay. As Mr. Novak recalls, Roberts said the oldest Higginbotham son
grabbed him from behind, pinned his arms and one of the brothers took his
revolver and "knucks", which he was carrying.
Mr. Higginbotham, the father, then stood in front of Roberts, threatening him
with a pitch fork, while one of the brothers proceeded to beat Roberts in the
face with his fists. After beating and threatening him, they let him go, keeping
his knucks and revolver.
Preacher Jackson, who lived near Novak, learned of the fight and he told Novak
and the Dolezals about the same story. Mrs. Roberts later told of her husband's
beating and that he walked the floor of the tent home all night brooding over
it. Next morning Roberts again came to Novak's dugout, where the three bachelor
friends were together, asking to borrow Frank Dolezal's shotgun, saying he had
seen a buck deer in the woods and believed he could shoot him. Novak says
Roberts was in the habit of borrowing the shotgun to kill deer and always
brought them part of the venison.
He asked for shells loaded with buckshot saying smaller shot wouldn't kill a
deer. they found only three shells with buckshot, which Roberts took and left on
his horse.
In a short time the three friends heard a shot and one remarked: "I guess John
has got his deer." But it soon occurred to them that he had no time to get to
the timber to find a deer so they went to investigate. About a quarter mile to
the east, on Novak's place, they found the body of one of the Higginbotham sons
who had been shot. About that time they heard another shot and Preacher Jackson
rode up, saying that Roberts was killing the Higginbothams.
Frank Novak says a hired hand of the Higginbothams witnessed the shooting of the
last of the three, and told it as follows: "The older Higginbotham son was
driving the hay baler and hid Roberts' revolver, which was a five-shot. As
Roberts rode toward him Higginbotham jumped off the baler, got down behind it
and began to shoot at Roberts, who dived off his horse to the ground, dodging
about until Higginbotham fired five shots, all missing their target. then
Roberts walked toward the young Higginbotham and shot him.
The youngest son, about 11 or 12 years old had gone ahead with the horse and
buggy, as they were moving their hay camp that day. This early start saved his
life.
Frank Novak says that after the shooting, Roberts went home to his tent, told
his wife what he had done, gathered up all the pictures of himself and destroyed
them, bid his wife and boy goodbye and rode west to Novak's dugout. Here he
handed back the borrowed shotgun with the statement: "I killed the three...one
after another. I guess you will never see me any more." With that, according to
Mr. Novak, he rode off toward the southwest in the direction of Lawton. Three
days later his pony was found tied in a post in the town of Marlow. So far as is
known, no one in this area ever saw him again.
Finus Berry and his cowboy friends picked up the bodies of the slain
Higginbothams and took them to Preacher Jackson's place. Someone went to
Sterling and notified the county authorities in Lawton, who came out the next
day and held an inquest. they took Mrs. Roberts and her son, holding her for
some time at the county jail, as a material witness. But as Roberts could not be
found, no trial could be held. Walter Smith and Finus Berry say Mrs. Roberts
cooked for the prisoners at the county jail for some time. Mr. Berry talked with
her on his visits in Lawton until some time after World War II, according to
Walter P. Smith, who knew her and her son.
John Roberts was said to be from Indiana. About 1903, Frank Novak says,
authorities in Indiana notified the sheriff at Lawton, they were holding a man
believed to be Roberts. County authorities here paid the train fare to there of
a neighbor of Roberts in an attempt to identify the suspect. He proved not to be
Roberts. There are no records of this case in the courthouse at Lawton, as all
territorial court records are stored at Ardmore and Guthrie.
The gun used in the killing was a 12 gauge, double barrel, New Ithaca shotgun
with 30 inch barrels. Many years ago Frank Dolezal left this gun with Frank
Novak, who used the gun occasionally in hunting. One day, while heading kefir
corn on his farm he put the gun on the dashboard of the wagon, and it fell off
and was run over, bending the barrels. Mr. Novak had it sawed off to its present
length of 18 inches. The gun has not been fired for many years. It is being
preserved as a relic of our rough and rugged past.
St. Paul Journal, Neosho County, Kansas, on January 2, 1902.
George Nelson Higginbotham (1856-1901) IA/OK
George Edward Higginbotham (1881-1901) KS/OK
John Oliver Higginbotham (ca1883-1901) KS/OK
Lawton, Ok, Dec. 21 - John Roberts, G.N. Higganbotham and his two sons Oliver
and Ed were putting up hay on shares, twenty-two miles northwest of Lawton.
Thursday night Roberts attacked the Higganbotham boys with a pair of brass
knuckles. The Higganbothams disarmed him, taking his revolver and knuckles from
him. Roberts borrowed a shotgun, saying he was going deer hunting and met the
youngest of the Higganbotham boys on his road to Lawton with a load of hay.
Roberts shot him in the back. He then went farther along the trail and met G. N.
Higginbotham who was watching his oldest son coming up the trail. Roberts shot
him also in the back and then the eldest son rushed up and was trying to raise
his father, he, too, was host. The boy had a revolver taken from Roberts the
night before and opened fire. Roberts waited until he had fired three shots and
then walked up to the wounded man and killed him. There were four witnesses to
the tragedy. Roberts mounted his horse rode down to the camp, bade his wife
good-by and left. Kansas City Star.
G. N. Higganbotham was the only living brother of Mrs. I. J. Davis of this city.
He was one of the early settlers of this county, coming here in 1866 and
locating east of town. He married Miss Nancy Weaver whose home was on the farm
now occupied by M. Herman in east Mission. In 1881 they moved to Meade County,
Kansas, and remained there until a few months ago. Mr. Higganbotham drew a claim
last August and later moved to it. He resided on his claim when the above sad
catastrophe occured. His two sons, Ed and Oliver, who were also killed by
Roberts, were 22 and 19 years old respectively. Ed was born in East Mission, but
was little child when his parents moved from here.
Ada Evening News 02/04/1911
J. M. Higginbotham (????-1911) OK
The Ada Evening News 01/06/1926
Jane Castleberry Higginbotham (1852-1926) OK
The Ada Weekly News 10/14/1926
Frank Higginbotham (ca1900-1926) OK
The Oklahoman 11/24/1937
Naomi Marie Higginbotham
Services for Naomi Marie Higginbotham, Capitol Hill high school girl killed in
an automobile accident at Southwest Fifty-sixth street and Walker avenue Monday,
will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Capitol Hill funeral home. She will be
buried in Sunny Lane cemetery.
She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Higginbotham, 2120 Southwest
Twenty-sixth street. She was killed almost instantly when the car in which she
was riding crashed into an oil truck.
The Ada Evening News 12/06/1937
Mrs. Jane Higginbotham (ca1865-1937) OK
The Oklahoman 04/24/1939
W.C. HIGGINBOTHAM (ca1867-1939) OK
W. C. Higginbotham, 72 years old, a retired farmer, was found dead of a
heart ailment Sunday morning at the home of a son, Paul Higginbotham, 629
Southeast Thirty-fifth street.
Higginbotham, a resident of the state since 1903, settled at Coweta. Later he
lived near Manford and then at Sapulpa, coming here from the latter about three
years ago.
Other survivors include three sons, Luther, Pasadena, Calif.; Fred, Graham,
Texas, and Zim of Broken Arrow; and four daughters, Mrs Winnie Vance, Tulsa;
Mrs. Sophia Whitaker, city; Mrs. Edith Tichenor, city, and Mrs. Bertha Norton,
Dorrance, Kan.
Services have been tentatively set for Monday afternoon in the Hunter chapel.
Burial probably will be Tuesday in the Duck Creek cemetery four miles east of
Mounds.
The Ada Evening News 07/17/1941
Benny Higginbotham (ca1917-1941) OK
The Paris (TX) News 06/18/1945
Van Higginbotham (ca1906-1945 ) OK
Miami Daily News-Record 02/03/1947
Evaline Higginbotham (1852-1947)
The Daily Oklahoman 12/05/1951
Rosa L. Smith Higginbotham (1906-1951) OK
The Ada Evening News 07/23/1953
Claude M. Higginbotham (ca1897-1953) OK
The Ada Evening News 04/08/1956
Royce Ann Heginbotham (1956-1956) NY/OK
The Daily Oklahoman 05/09/1956
Kathryn Higginbotham Houston (1880-1956) OK
The Lawton Constitution 06/05/1956
Ira Walker Higginbotham (1874-1956) AL/OK
The Lawton Constitution 08/20/1958
James Higginbotham (ca1943-1958) AR
Ada Evening News 02/27/1959
Louise Marie Berntsen Higginbotham (ca1892-1959) OK
The Paris (TX) News 05/18/1960
Jasper B. Higginbotham (ca1874-1960) AR/OK
Miami Daily News-Record 08/19/1960
Engla Leona Gertz Higginbotham (1906-1960) TX/OK
Ada Evening News 02/06/1963
Edgar Lee Higginbotham (1886-1963) TX/OK
The Ada Evening News 12/10/1963
Jack W. Higginbotham (ca1924-1963) OK
The Daily Oklahoman 05/06/1964
Myrtle Akeman Higginbotham French (ca1887-1964) MO/OK
The Ada Evening News 06/22/1964
Mrs. H. C. Higginbotham (????-1964) OK
The Daily Oklahoman 11/02/1964
Charles M. Higginbotham (ca1884-1964) OK
The Ada Evening News 08/03/1965
Lola Higginbotham Hardin (1873-1965) CA/OK
The Ada Evening News 06/23/1967
Rodney Dean Heginbotham (1967-1967) OK
The (Idaho Falls, ID) Post-Register 06/08/1968
Barbara Higginbotham White (1924-1968) ID/OK
The Ada Evening News 05/11/1969
Lula Higginbotham Barnett (1871-1969) CA/OK
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal 04/20/1972
Lois Tulior Brilew Higginbotham (1899-1972) IL/OK
The Daily Oklahoman 06/07/1976
Robert Lee Higginbotham (ca1923-1976) OK/WY
The Paris (TX) News 03/03/1978
Cull Jefferson Higginbotham (1904-1978) OK
The Paris (TX) News 09/06/1978
Franklin Higginbotham (ca1928-1978) OK
The Paris News 02/10/1982
Eric Neal Higginbotham (1979-1982) TX
The Paris News 01/03/1990
Walter K. Higginbotham (1914-1990) OK
The Paris (TX) News 11/11/1993
Essie Louise Foster Higginbotham (1915-1993) OK
The Durant Daily Democrat 01/12/1999
Naoma Beatrice Davis Higginbotham (1912-1999) OK
Graveside funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, at
Resthaven Memory Gardens Cemetery in Oklahoma City for Naoma Beatrice (Davis)
Higginbotham, 86, of Oklahoma City. The Rev. Sam Broughton will officiate Mrs.
Higginbotham died Monday, Jan. 11, 1999, in Stillwater.
The daughter of Ben Marion and Dillie (Brown) Davis, she was born Nov. 17, 1912
in McKinney, Texas she was raised in Calera and graduated from Calera High
School in 1932.
She was a former employee of Kerrs, Halliburton's and retired from John A. Brown
Company.
She married Otis Eugene Higginbotham in 1934.
She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, American Business Women's
Association, Baptist Temple Telephone Sunday School and Church.
Mrs. Higginbotham was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and daughter
Judith Paulyne Marcum.
Arrangements are under the direction of Havenbrook Funeral Home of Norman.
The Paris (TX) News 11/01/1999
R. L. Higginbotham (1923-1999) OK
Enid News & Eagle 12/17/2001
Diana S. Doctor Higginbotham (1945-2001) KS/OK
ALVA - Wake for Diana S. Higginbotham, 56, will be at 7 p.m.
today in the home of George and Sandy Foote. The funeral will be 2 p.m. Tuesday
in First Christian Church. Dr. Larry Haney will officiate. Burial will be in
Union Center Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Marshall Funeral Home. The casket will remain closed at the
church.
She was born July 2, 1945, in Hardtner, Kan., to Ray "Doc" and Doris Doctor, and
died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2001, at St. Anthony's Hospital, Oklahoma City.
She graduated from Alva High School in 1963 and earned a bachelor's degree in
business from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
In 1968, she married David Bouziden. They lived near Ashland, where they farmed
and ranched. She worked as executive secretary to the administrator in Woodward
Hospital for 12 years.
On Aug. 1, 1992, she married Joe Higginbotham at Alva. They lived in New York
City and Memphis, Tenn., before moving to Oklahoma City in 1995. While in
Memphis, she was a full-time Volunteer at St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
Surviving are her husband, Joe of Oklahoma City; one son, Rhett Bouziden of
Oklahoma City; one daughter, Leslie Bouziden of Ashland, Kan.; her mother, Doris
Healan of Alva; one brother, Doug Doctor of Alva; one half-brother, John
Noffsinger of Denver; and one grandson.
Memorials may be made through the funeral home
Daily Ardmoreite May 24, 2002
Shirley A. Higginbotham Keeton (1947-2002) OK
Services for Shirley A. Keeton, 54, will be at 2 p.m. today, May 24,
2002, at Griffin Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Donny Custar officiating.
Interment will be at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Born Nov. 14, 1947, in Ardmore to Cecil B. and Rachel V. Brooks Higginbotham,
Mrs. Keeton died May 22, 2002, at the local hospital.
She had lived in Ardmore all her life and was a member of Emmanuel Baptist
Church. She and Winston Keeton were married in Gainesville, Texas. She was
preceded in death by her parents; and a son, Mitchell Keeton.
Survivors include her husband, Winston, of the home; three sons, Rusty, Gary and
Joe Keeton, and a daughter, Jackie Burkhart, all of Ardmore; three brothers,
Tony Higginbotham of Garland, Texas, Butch Higginbotham of Dallas, and Joe
Higginbotham of Ardmore; two sisters, Ruby Lancaster of Sulphur, and Edna Day of
Ardmore; 12 grandchildren, among them, Dalton and Brittany; and two
great-grandchildren.
Bearers will be Don Flanagan, Larry Scott, Alan Blanton, Jimmy Oxley, Russell
Philpot and Danny Blanton.
Enid News and Eagle 12/02/2003
Viola M. Pennington Higginbotham (1914-2003)
ALVA - A private family burial for Viola M. Higginbotham, 89, will be
Wednesday morning. A memorial service will be 2 p.m. Wednesday in First United
Methodist Church. Weegie Williams, pastor, will officiate. Arrangements are by
Marshall Funeral Home.
She was born Oct. 5, 1914, on a farm south of Pleasant Hill, Cass County, Mo.,
to Albert Ernest and Hattie May Allum Pennington and died Monday, Dec. 1, 2003,
at Share Convalescent Center in Alva.
She graduated from high school and worked at Walbart's Variety Store for 10
years. On Feb. 25, 1940, she married Harvey E. Higginbotham at Alva. The couple
moved to Sweeney and Midland, Texas, where he worked as a petroleum engineer. In
1949, they returned to Alva and operated Texaco Service Center, a mobile home
towing service and wrecker service until retirement. She obtained a bachelor's
degree from Northwestern Oklahoma State College. She was an active member of
First United Methodist Church and was a past president of Women's Society of
Christian Service of the church. She was a member of National Honor Society,
Delta Zeta Sorority, 20th Century Club, Iris Garden Club and an organization of
women known as The Campers. She was awarded two national service awards.
Surviving are one son, John of Oklahoma City; one daughter, Suzanne Kurth of
Angleton, Texas; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband on Jan. 31, 1989, and four brothers.
Memorials may be made through the funeral home to St. Judes Children's Research
Hospital.
Lawton Constitution 12/11/2003
Rose Donnie Higginbotham Whitten
BERTRAM, Texas — Graveside service for former Cyril resident Rose Donnie
Higginbotham Whitten, 97, Bertram, Texas, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Fairview
Cemetery with the Rev. Sara Bodenstein, pastor, Apache First United Methodist
Church, officiating.
Mrs. Whitten died Monday, Dec. 8, 2003.
Arrangements are by Crews Funeral Home.
She was born May 20, 1906, in Cordell, to Ira Walker and Martha Elizabeth
"Snider" Higginbotham. She married Clifton Whitten on June 4, 1936, in Sayre.
They lived in Cyril, where she was the city clerk. He died Oct. 18, 1963.
Survivors include three sisters-in-law: Olivia Higginbotham, Lois Higginbotham
and Mildred Higginbotham; 11 nieces; Agie Lee Higginbotham, Ann Morse, Helen
Marie, Sue Beaver, Nancy Boykin, Linda Murdock, Jane Jorgenson, Sandy Fischer,
Judy Carroll, Linda Drapp and Sharon Cain; two
nephews: Jerry Higginbotham and David Higginbotham; and many great-nieces and
nephews.
The Norman Transcript 02/24/2005
Dorothy C. Higginbotham (1927-2005) OK
Dorothy C. Higginbotham, 77, of Norman died Tuesday, Feb. 22, from
complications of heart surgery in Oklahoma City. A rosary service will be at 7
p.m. today at Havenbrook Funeral Home Chapel in Norman. Mass of Christian burial
will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph Catholic Church with the Rev. Edward
Menasco officiating. Burial will be 2:30 p.m. Friday at Rosedale Cemetery in Ada.
Havenbrook Funeral Home in Norman is handling arrangements. Dr. Higginbotham was
born March 4, 1927, in Ada, to Lee and Louise (Berntsen) Higginbotham. She
attended Ada Public Schools and graduated from East Central State University.
She received a Ph.D. from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Early in her
career she taught at Beggs High School and Duncan High School. After receiving
her doctorate she taught communication and language development at Southeastern
State University in Durant, Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and the
University of Oklahoma. Dr. Higginbotham was associate dean emeritus of the
College of Arts and Sciences at OU. She served on the OU Credit Union Board. She
volunteered as a docent at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
after she retired. She was an active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in
Norman and served on many committees. Dr. Higginbotham was preceded in death by
her parents; sister Pauline; and brothers Clifton, Benny and Bob. Dr.
Higginbotham is survived by her sisters Idalee Dickey of Houston, Nadine Wright
of Norman, Betty Sealman of Denver, Melody Kruger and husband Noel of Oklahoma
City and Kay Davis and husband Frank of Guthrie; and many nieces, nephews,
grandnephews and grandnieces. Memorial contributions may be sent to St. Joseph
Catholic Church, 211 N. Porter Ave., Norman, OK 73071 or the Sam Noble Oklahoma
Museum of Natural History (325-4712). Online condolences may be posted at www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com/Obituaries.html.
The Paris (TX) News 06/28/2005
Maggie E. Tucker Higginbotham (1904-2005) OK
HUGO; Okla. — Maggie Higginbotham, 100, of Boswell, Okla., died Monday, June 27, 2005. Funeral services are set for 2 p.m. Friday, July 1, at Jesus Name Pentecostal Church in Boswell, Okla. Interment follows in Restland Cemetery under the direction of Prater-Lampton-Mills & Coffey Funeral Home. The family receives friends from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Ada Evening News 11/01/2005
Doris Ross Higginbotham (1926-2005) OK/TX
ARLINGTON, Texas - Services for Doris Higginbotham, 79,
Arlington, formerly of Ada, Okla., are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Criswell Funeral Home
Chapel, Ada, Father Bill Stanford officiating. Burial follows at Rosedale
Cemetery.
Mrs. Higginbotham died Oct. 30, 2005, at an assisted living center at Arlington.
She was born Jan. 25, 1926, at Ada, to Albert S. and Viola Bumgarner Ross. She
lived in the Ada area all her life, attending school at Horace Mann and
graduating from Ada High School. She received a degree in home economics from
East Central University, Ada, and attended other various real estate schools to
obtain her real estate brokers license.
She married Robert L. Higginbotham Jan. 24, 1948, at Oklahoma City, Okla. He
died June 3, 1976, at Casper, Wyo. Mrs. Higginbotham was the owner of
Higginbotham Reality, Casper, for 30 years. She was the president of Casper
Board of Realtors, and a member of the Casper MLS. Mrs. Higginbotham was an
elder at the First Presbyterian Church, Casper.
Survivors include her three daughters, Becky Kubiak and husband Buddy,
Arlington, Kristy Smith and husband Dr. Mike Smith, Tulsa, Okla.; and Laurie
Mitchell and partner Ray Chaney, McKinney, Texas; grandchildren, David Hegranes,
Carla Stanford, Roxanne Mitchell, Russell Mitchell, Derrick Smith and Austin
Smith; great-grandchildren, Kira Greene, Spencer Hegranes, Harley Hegranes,
Stone Hegranes, Tori Carmack-Stanford, Ariel Carmack-Stanford, Lexi Stanford and
Lindsey Tatum.
Bearers are Mike Smith, Derrick Smith, Russell Mitchell, Ray Chaney, Bruce
Wright and David Hegranes.
Criswell Funeral Home, Ada, Okla.
Duncan Banner 08/06/2006
Patty ‘Susie’ Wilson Higginbotham (1947-2006) OK
COMANCHE — Patty “Susie” Higginbotham, 58, died Friday, Aug. 4, 2006 in Meridian
Nursing Home.
Graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Woolsey Cemetery, east of
Comanche.
Susie was born Nov. 23, 1947 in Duncan, to Alvis and Beth Wilson. Susie and
Thomas Higginbotham were united in marriage May, 1981 in Houma, La.
She was a member of Countryside Baptist Church and Meridian Trail Blazers. Susie
worked at Delta Community Action as center director.
Survivors include a son, Terral Rather; a daughter, Tyree Brown; a stepdaughter,
Cheryl Parfait of Houma; and two brothers, Tom Wilson and Tim Wilson.
Susie was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas, in February of 2006; her
parents and a stepson, Thomas Higginbotham.
The Oklahoman 03/29/2009
Beulah Bell Higginbotham Tipton Meyers (1930-2009) OK
Beulah Bell (Tipton) Meyers, age 78, went to be with her Lord
and Savior on Friday, March 27, 2009 at her home in Oklahoma City. She was born
March 31, 1930 at Boggy Depot, OK to Embrey and Josie (Strutton) Higginbotham
and grew up at Coleman, OK. She attended Coleman Schools, and, after marriage,
lived much of her younger adult life in various towns in Southeast Oklahoma. She
moved with her family to Del City in 1962 and lived there until moving to her
present home in 1985. Beulah worked for several years for Rosebud Cleaners and
later for the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. She was a member of Calvary
Church of the Nazarene. She was preceded in death by her parents her first
husband, Earnie Tipton three brothers, J.B., Jack and Earl as well as one
sister, Lillian. Survivors include her husband, Harry (Hubcap) Meyers, of the
home and daughters, Carolyn Joy Greeson of Del City, Karen Lynn Riley and
husband Mike of Del City, and Sharon Leeann Smith and husband Tim of Sanford, CO
also by seven grandchildren: Patti, Melissa, Kasey, Kelly, Kerry, Patricia and
Michael eight great- grandchildren and three sisters: Vearlene Gallagher, JoAnn
Sharp and Loretta Steward. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be
made to the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home. Visitation will
be from 8am to 8pm on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at McNeil's Mustang Funeral
Service, Mustang, OK. Services will be held at 2pm on Wednesday, April 1, 2009
at Calvary Church of the Nazarene in Oklahoma City, with interment following in
Sunnylane Cemetery. Online condolences may be made at www.mcneilsmustangfs.com