Barbara Higginbotham

A deeply rooted citizen of Leeds, Alabama – by both birth and choice – Barbara Taylor Higginbotham passed away the evening of Tuesday, October 13, at the age of 85. Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Higginbotham.

Barbara is survived by her sons, Edward (Jennifer) and Michael (Lisa) as well as her granddaughter, Taylor. She is also survived by her beloved sister, Gloria Higginbotham and her son, Jon (JoAnn) in addition to her sister-in-law, Charlotte Morton (Claude) and their daughter, Cherie League.

Barbara was, above all, a woman of deep faith. Raised by her parents L.C. and Gladys Taylor as members of First Baptist Church Leeds, she found in the Gospels a call that went beyond Sunday mornings and Wednesday evening Bible Study. She devoted her adult working life to serving as a Claims Authorizer with the Social Security Administration, navigating complex systems for struggling seniors. In her own home, she brought up two sons who themselves went into public service.

After decades at the SSA, retirement finally came – briefly – as Barbara embraced a host of uplifting roles in her community. She helped make elections possible as a poll worker. She cultivated her own little corner of the world, receiving Beautification Awards to acknowledge her labor. She doted on her one-and-only grandchild whenever possible.

Still, the relationship Barbara had with the families and volunteers at the Leeds Outreach was a special one to her. As the unpaid Director, she gave long hours organizing Outreach campaigns for Christmas toys and school supplies, paying utility bills for neighbors in need, and distributing healthy food for hungry children. In the end, she did not just give things – Barbara helped give hope.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at Kilgroe Funeral Home, Leeds from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM with a Celebration of Life service following at 2:00 PM in the same location. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Leeds Outreach (Leeds Welfare Cooperative): https://leedsoutreach.org/donate/.