John Allen Higginbotham, M.D., 75, of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away Tuesday, March 5, 2019. Dr. Higginbotham, aka “Higg”, loved his family and friends, his colleagues, his “work and hospital families”, his profession, and his patients. Dr. Higg loved Disney World and he loved Christmas! Over a period of 25 years, he and his “chief Elf”, Bob Hodges, turned his home into an ever growing Christmas Wonderland. Dr. Higg’s Christmas Extravanganza was enjoyed by well over 100,000 people, and included live reindeer, llamas, Santa Claus, all kinds of Christmas characters and thousands of lights.
Dr. Higginbotham was a dedicated orthopedic surgeon for 40 years, a physician at Crestwood Hospital for 36 years, and a practicing partner at Sportsmed for 14 years. He received many awards over the course of his career, including the Samuel Buford Word Award for Humanitarian Service.
Dr. Higginbotham was the son of Dr. John M. Higginbotham and Leona M. Olinger Higginbotham of Birmingham, Alabama. Survivors include his loving wife, Mary Wallis Alves; children, Beth McGucken (Lee), John Alves Higginbotham (Mary Diamond), Erin Sokolowski (Thad), and Sean Higginbotham (Seira Takasaki); siblings, Diane Ray, Jim Higginbotham (Lynn), and Tom Higginbotham (Jeanie); grandchildren, Sarah Jane Gokmen (Kemper), Gracie Gore, John Dalton Alves Higginbotham, and Benhamin Sokolowski; and multiple nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 9 at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 16 at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Guntersville, Alabama.
