Our mother, “Ms. Lillian” Higginbotham, a resident of Lucedale,and Silver Cross Home, Brookhaven, passed away at Silver Cross Homeand went to be with Jesus April 29, 2010.

Visitation will be at Riverwood Family Funeral Service, Friday,April 30, from 5 until 8 p.m., and at the Barton Baptist Church,Lucedale, Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m. until noon. Funeralservices will be at noon and burial in the church cemetery.

The Rev. Billy J. Howse and the Rev. John Henry are the officiatingministers.

“Ms. Lillian,” 93, was born May 18, 1916, in Pace, to BenjaminEarley and Mary Viola Lucius. She married Samuel Floyd Higginbothamon April 1, 1933.

She graduated from Jones County Junior College, Ellisville, as alicensed practical nurse in 1956. She worked at King’s DaughtersHospital in Yazoo City, and Coahoma County Hospital in Clarksdaleand retired from active service at the Singing River Hospital inPascagoula in 1978.

As an active member of Barton Baptist Church in the Bartoncommunity, Lucedale, she enjoyed attending Woman’s MissionaryUnion, Eager Elders, singing in the choir, serving as an officer inher Sunday school class, and helping out wherever needed. Sheespecially enjoyed taking trips with her senior adult group.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband; fivebrothers, Jack Earley, Herbert Earley, Earl Earley, Willis Earleyand J.D. Earley; two sisters, Mildred Lauderdale and Rena Ferguson;four grandsons, Charles Wendell Jr., Carl Dewayne, Thomas Andrew(Andy) and Floyd Anthony (Tony) Higginbotham, Lucedale; onegreat-granddaughter, Heather Higginbotham, Clarksdale; and onegreat-grandson, Timothy Randall Johnsey, Clinton.

Survivors are her five sons, Floyd Ferrell and wife Effie, of BogueChitto, Charles Wendell Sr. and wife Carlene, of Lucedale, WesleyDean and wife Dorothy, of Sylacauga, Ala., Hilton Ray and wifeLinda, of Lucedale, and Carlton Earley and wife Ellen, of Lucedale;and one sister, Vivian “Boots” Morgan, of Summit.

She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, Sammy Higginbotham ofClinton, Tim Higginbotham of Bogue Chitto, Benita Johnsey ofClinton, Beth Wicker of McComb, Teresa Reynolds of Dekalb, WesleyD. Higginbotham Jr. of Sylacauga, Anthony W. Higginbotham ofSylacauga, Ginger Crocker of Rainbow City, Ala., David Higginbothamof Sylacauga, Michael Higginbotham of Clarksdale, “Bubba” DeanHigginbotham of Bossier City, La., Randy Higginbotham ofPlantersville, Michelle Emmons of Florence, Sandy Fallon ofMaryland, Brenda Lyon of Southaven; two stepgranddaughters; 34great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 in memory of her fourgrandsons, who passed away with muscular dystrophy: brothers,Charles Wendell Jr., Carl Dewayne, Thomas Andrew and Floyd AnthonyHigginbotham.

To express your thoughts to the family, you may visitwww.riverwoodfamily.com and click on her name to leave acomment.