Neal Higginbotham

Neal A. Higginbotham, age 70, of Osawatomie, passed away September 2, 2009, at the Olathe Medical Center. Services will be Tues. Sept. 8 at 10:00AM at the Penwell-Gabel Paola Chapel with burial in the Stanton Cemetery, Rural Miami County. Visitation Mon. 6 to 8:00PM Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or the Osawatomie Rebekah Lodge # 336. Neal was born May 17, 1939, to Ira S. and Essie M. Vanderbilt Higginbotham in Bethel, KS. He grew up in the Tonganoxie area, and graduated from high school there in 1957. He entered the United States Navy in 1958 after high school, and served 22 years active and 8 years inactive for a total of 30 years. On December 30, 1960, Neal was united in marriage to 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 in 1979. He was employed at the Osawatomie State Hospital for 6 months and then at Unified School District 368 as a maintenance director for over 20 years before retiring. His memberships included the IOOF #4 Lawrence, KS; AF and AM #339 Lane, KS; OES #307 Parker, KS; Elks #921 Osawatomie, KS; American Legion #204 Osawatomie, KS; DAV #34 Johnson County, KS; FRA #161 Kansas City, KS; Scottish Rite Wichita, KS; Shrine Wichita, KS; Miami County Airport Assoc.; Kansas Old Timer Pickers and Fiddlers; and the Rebekah Lodge # 336 Osawatomie, KS. His hobbies were flying, traveling, camping, listening to music, Kaoroke, going to Branson, and spending time with family and friends. He enjoyed going to RV, car, boat, and monster trucks shows and watching football & basketball games. Neal was preceded in death by his parents and one grandson. Survivors are wife Mary, of the home; daughter, Brenda Sue Schull, of Osawatomie; son, Neal Alvin Higginbotham, Jr., of Joplin MO; sister, Elsie Cordel of Paola; brother, Loren Higginbotham, of Mapleton, KS; sister, Donna Guthrie, of Moberly, MO; brother, Keith Higginbotham of Osawatomie; 6 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.