Lilly Belle Higginbotham

Lilly Belle Cropper Higginbotham, 75, of Lake Charles passed away Thursday, December 13, 2012 in a local hospital.

Mrs. Higginbotham was born, raised and educated in Opelousas, LA. She was a graduate of Opelousas High School and attended training classes at Louisiana Tech University. She worked thirty years in the Cafeteria, primarily at Oak Park Middle, before retiring with the Calcasieu Parish School Board. She was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church. Mrs. Higginbotham was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, devoting her life and her love to her family. She enjoyed sewing and cooking, especially for her Sunday family gatherings. She will be most remembered for her selflessness, always doing for others, never for herself.

She leaves to cherish her memory, her husband of fifty-seven years, Joseph Hamiel Higginbotham of Lake Charles; five children, John Mark Higginbotham and wife Pam; Ronald Dean Higginbotham and wife Nancy Sensat and Melissa LaBove, all of Lake Charles, Mary Teedy Vera and husband Neil of Lafayette and Joseph Chad Higginbotham and wife Julie of Lake Charles; twelve grandchildren, Seth, Jeremy, Shannon, John, Gary, Joey, Jamie, Matthew, Kaitlyn, Chris, Jake and Andrea and one sister, Joann Mitchell of Lake Charles.

She was preceded in death by her great-granddaughter, Payton Biddy; parents, Pierre and Lillian Stutes Cropper; one brother; Peter Cropper and one sister, Patsy Sonnier.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM Monday, December 17, 2012 at Christ the King Catholic Church under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Father Wayne LeBleu will officiate. Interment will follow in Consolata Cemetery. Visitation Sunday will be from 11:00 AM until 9:00 PM with a rosary beginning at 6:00 PM. Visitation Monday will be from 8:00 AM until the time of service in the funeral home.