James Rodney Higginbotham Sr.

Born in Gladstone, March 17, 1942, he was the son of the late Henry H. Higginbotham and Ida Mabel Drumheller Higginbotham.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one son, Shawn Higginbotham and one brother, Lewis Higginbotham.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Nancy Peters Higginbotham; two sons, Jimmy Higginbotham and his wife Sharon of Kents Store, VA and Jeff Higginbotham and his wife Debbie of Gladstone; three grandchildren, Eric Dane, Mallory Higginbotham and Kelly Higginbotham and one great grandchild, Morgan Dane. He is also survived by a special cousin who was like a sister, Joyce Williams.

Rodney was retired from the Lynchburg Foundry after 32 years of service and later worked for Appomattox Lime Co. for nine years but his lifelong passion was farming. He was born and raised on the family farm where he had planted his first crop of corn at eight years old. He also raised cattle and loved John Deere tractors. He was a long time member and Deacon of Oakdale Baptist Church.

A funeral service will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. Monday, July 7, 2014 at Whitten Monelison Chapel with the Rev. Terry Wornstaff and the Rev. Marvin Suitt officiating. Interment will follow in the Higginbotham Family Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, July 6, 2014 at the funeral home and at other times at the residence.

Those wishing to make memorial contributions are asked to consider Oakdale Baptist Church, 1154 Brightwell Mill Rd., Madison Heights, VA 24572.