Obituary of Norma Rae Higginbotham

Norma Rae (Palmer) Higginbotham, age 67, passed away on Friday, October 13, 2023, at her home in Lebanon, Oklahoma. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, October 20, 2023, in The Chapel at Griffin ~ Hillcrest, of Ardmore, Okla., with The Reverend Steve Wall officiating. Interment will follow services in Hillcrest Memorial Park, Ardmore. Norma was born in Ardmore, Okla., on October 26, 1955, to Raymond Palmer and Millie (Phillips) Palmer. She attended and graduated from Ardmore High School in the Class of 1974. She married Tony Dean Higginbotham on April 2, 1974 in Ardmore. Norma worked in the service and food service industries. The couple moved to Richardson, Texas, in 1983 and she worked in the school cafeteria. Norma returned to the Ardmore area in 2016, and moved to her son’s home in Lebanon, Okla., in 2021. She loved to go fishing, play bingo, and take walks. Anytime she could, Norma would spend time with her grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter, Toni Rae-Ann Higginbotham, grandson, Prince Ray Higginbotham, granddaughter-in-law, Savannah Higginbotham, sister, Glenda "JoAnn" Linderman, brothers: Raymond Palmer, Jr., Jimmy "Buffalo" Palmer, John Adam Palmer, and David Glenn Palmer, and an infant sister. Norma is survived by sons: Jonathan “Binky” Higginbotham and wife, Lea, of Lebanon, Okla., and Cecil Browning Higginbotham II and wife, Jill, of Richardson, Texas. Eleven grandchildren: Cecil III, Courtney, Candice, Amber, Bethany, Jonathan Jr., Faith, Joe, Victor, Lacey, and Eric. Twelve great-grandchildren: Jaslynn, Victor, Nevaeh, Brandon Jr., Izayha, Hunter, Tony Dean II, Ricklynn, Raylynn, Levi Jr, Sarenity, and Ezekel. Sisters: Rebecca Collins and Lahoma Jean Palmer-Lowe. Brothers: Winston Isaac Palmer and James Lynn Palmer. Numerous nieces, nephews, and a host of family and friends. Serving as pallbearers will be Victor Cazares, Dakota Palmer, Chris Palmer Harmon, Billy Palmer, Jason Kent, Brandon Kent, Jamielynn Palmer, and Winston Isaac Palmer, Jr. Honorary bearers are Victor Ricano, Joe Joslin, Triton Collins, Bruce Palmer, and Abigail Vossler.