Winona Maxine Higganbotham

Winona Maxine Childers Higganbotham, age 96, passed away on September 30, 2025. She was born on January 18, 1929, in Borger, Texas, the only child of Bea and Ully Childers and spent her early years in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Her memories of growing up in the Panhandle include her beloved dog Beans who she loved so much that she dressed him in doll clothes and pushed him in her buggy, Saturday night drawings at the movie house for racks of groceries, wet sheets hung over windows against the blowing soil, and sleeping with covers pulled over their heads . Growing up during the Dust Bowl years, Winona learned resilience, resourcefulness, and the value of hard work—qualities that would define her life. She attended Central High School In Oklahoma City, followed by graduation from Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. At OCU, she was enjoyed being a member of the Delta Zeta and it was there that she met the love of her life, Al Higganbotham. They married in 1951 and began a partnership that lasted decades and was rooted in mutual respect, devotion, and shared dreams. The early years of the marriage were busy with the birth of four sons: Dean, Gary, Chris and Dale. The days were filled with sports, Sunday school, scouts, family vacations to Windy Castle, her parents’ cabin at Lake Texoma, driving trips to Mexico, and a month-long bus trip through Europe while the boys were in high school. Their neighborhood in Windsor Hills was filled with lots of children and there was always some fun to be had. Winona and Al were lifelong members of the First Christiona Church of Oklahoma City and enjoyed the friends they made through the Neighbors Sunday School class. Education was very important to Winona and she made sure that all four sons graduated from college. As her sons grew older and married, she began to fully embrace her artistic talents through needlepoint, quilt making, painting and dollmaking. She needlepointed over one hundred Santas which she then had made into four Christmas quilts, one for each son. She made dozens of dolls to contribute to the Salvation Army’s annual Angel Tree. Winona and Al traveled the world, including China, Russia, Australia, South America and Europe. Later trips with the entire family of sixteen to one of their favorite place, Playa del Carmen Mexico, were treasured l times for Winona and Al. Winona was an absolutely wonderful grandmother: babysitting her grandchildren at a moment’s notice, teaching them how to color, and dress themselves. She was the official family photographer and took thousands of pictures and movies, and created picture albums for each of her son’s families. She was also the family historian and spent countless hours researching and writing her family history up until her death. This labor of love culminated in a book she finished in 2025. Winona’s last book is a map to belonging. It shows a girl in a dusty Texas yard; a young woman at OCU; a bride in 1951; and a mother who filled homes with life for four sons—Dean, Gary, Dale, and Chris—and all who came after. She records the places they lived, the schools and teams and ceremonies, and the family vacations.

Winona was predeceased by her husband Al and her daughter in law, JoLynne.

She is survived by her son Dean, his wife Carolyn of Oklahoma City and their son, Dr. Clark Higganbotham and his wife, Rebekah of New Orleans, Louisiana; her son Gary, his wife Sarah, and their daughter Megan of San Diego California; her son Dale, his wife Susan, and their son Andrew of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and their daughter Lauren and her husband Fernando Espino of Fort Worth, Texas; and her son Chris, his wife Jenny, and his daughter Hailey of Houston, Texas, and his daughter Sarah and her sons, Aaron and Liam, of Copperas Cove, Texas.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 2PM at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper Funeral Home, 6600 Broadway Extension, Oklahoma City, OK 73116.