The only son of four children born to R.V. and Florene Hardcastle, Richard was born in Sherman, TX, and raised in the rural outskirts of Miami, OK. He told his children stories of his life on the farm, cutting and carrying stove wood, feeding animals, and doing his studies by the light of an oil lamp.
Richard attended Wyandotte High School but left to join the United States Army at 17. He was a Corporal in the 99th Field Artillery Battalion, First Cavalry Division, and a decorated Korean Conflict Veteran, serving with the Military Police and in communications during his time in Korea.
He was employed at the B.F. Goodrich Tire plant in Miami, OK, and by the Bayly Corporation in Sanger, CA, where he repaired industrial sewing machines and invented attachments to improve the process. After his retirement, Richard was a product development consultant for Macro Plastics, Inc. where he designed a cross-tire iron to secure stacks of MacroBins on trucks, and a prototype sealing lid for the Macro T-Bin.
Richard loved his family. He was a great fisherman and loved telling stories to his famly. He was deeply loved by his family and will be missed by all.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Jackie Essex, and Polly Edwards; and his wife, Billie Martin Higginbotham.
He is survived by a sister, Ann Brumback and husband Glenn of Goodman, MO; his children, Lynne Lollis and husband Floyd of Cypress, TX, Teena Shields and husband Ken of Powell Butte, OR, and Michael Higginbotham and wife Stefanie of Clovis, CA; grandchildren, Travis Lollis, Maggie, Andrew, and Kadie Higginbotham; great-grandchildren, nephews, nieces, very dear friends, and colleagues.
A Visitation will be held at Boice Funeral Home in Clovis, CA, on Saturday, September 29, 2018, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
A Graveside Service with Military Honors will be held in Fairland, OK, on Saturday, October 6, 2018, at 11:00 a.m., under the care of Brown-Winters Funeral Home in Miami, OK, and Fairland, OK.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.boicefuneralhome.com for the HIGGINBOTHAM family.
