Harriett Couch Higginbotham

Harriett was born in Athens on December 11, 1939 to Harry Richard Couch and Reba Cook Couch. During her childhood her family moved several times. Her first three years in high school were spent in Vidalia, GA where she competed in five beauty pageants and was crowned Miss Vidalia. She graduated from Athens High School in 1957 where she was a cheerleader and a competitive jitterbug dancer. She was an avid reader and lover of all kinds of music. Harriett was the oldest of six children.

A blind date and a three month courtship with handsome, young Gene Higginbotham from Statham, GA was the beginning of a love affair that lasted fifty-seven years. They were wed on August 10, 1958 at Lovers Lane Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. They gave birth to a daughter, Laurie in Dallas before moving back home to Athens.

Harriett stood by her husband as they began a journey to make a life together from childhoods where they had both experienced great lack and financial struggle. As Gene attended UGA while working at Westinghouse, Harriett worked as a clerk at the Clarke County Courthouse. When Gene began his career at Orkin Exterminating, Harriett became a dedicated wife and mother. They gave birth to a son, Scott, in Athens in 1967. Over a period of eight years the family moved twelve times while Gene was moving up the corporate ladder with Orkin.

After the death of both her parents and the death of Gene’s father the couple lovingly brought Harriett’s baby sisters, Fran and JerriLynn Couch under their wings. They loved them and raised them as their own. Longing to remain in Athens they founded American Pest Control in Athens in November 1971.

Gene built the business and began developing real estate. Everywhere she lived Harriett had wonderful friends who loved her. She is remembered as a very classy lady who was beautiful and kind. She enjoyed playing tennis and later loved her trips to Biloxi with her husband and friends. She served on the Athens General Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliaries. She loved being a member of the Athens Roadrunners.

At age 53, Harriett began the most difficult journey of her life with Huntington’s Disease. The genetic, neurodegenerative disease was discovered when Harriett’s nephew, Richard Couch and her brother, Darrell Couch died with Huntington’s. Harriett commented to her loving husband that if it were to ever strike her she would not want to know. When she became symptomatic her family elected to treat her with the best of care and it was never mentioned. Huntington’s is labeled “the cruelest disease known to man” and there is currently no cure. Over a period of 10-25 years it robs one of the ability to walk, talk, chew and swallow. Metabolism is sped up, yet choking is a constant struggle in the late stages. The patient is held hostage in their body as the brain shrinks and they suffer from chorea (jerky, involuntary movements) yet as there is cognitive decline the long term memory and present day mental function remains. The love, care and research by her family and the Huntington’s Disease Society of America blessed Harriett with the very best of medical care. Although she was plagued by HD, she never stopped smiling and expressing great joy and gratitude for her family, friends and all her many blessings. She never stopped reading her daily Athens Banner-Herald, Oconee Enterprise along with all her magazines and her cherished cup of coffee. She was truly a remarkable work of God.

Harriett’s family wishes to express appreciation to Margaret Henderson, Lillie Taylor and niece, Eli Peck Rice who were dedicated caregivers and to staff at Bridgeway Hospice.

Harriett was preceded in death by her husband, Wiley Eugene Higginbotham, and brother, Doug Couch.

She is survived by her daughter, Laurie Higginbotham and son, Scott (Angela) Higginbotham of Bishop, GA, six granddaughters, Victoria, Savannah, McKay, McKenzie, Gabriella and Jocelyn and her cherished brother, Connie Couch, sisters Fran (Wayne) Dean, JerriLynn (Jerry) Peck, many loving nieces and nephews and her beloved Maltese, “Sugar.”

Funeral services will be held at Bernstein Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday, July 26 at 3:00 pm.

Visitation will be at Bernstein’s on Wednesday, July 25 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Pallbearers are Wayne Dean, Jr., Travis Dean, Todd Couch, Chris Couch, David Butler and Matthew Gordon.

Donations may be made in her memory to the Georgia Chapter of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America at P. O. Box 3651, Eatonton, GA 31024.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

www.BernsteinFuneralHome.com