Shirley L. Higginbotham

Shirley L. Higginbotham died in her home on December 24, 2019 at the age of 88.

Funeral Service will be held on Monday, December 30 at 11:00 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church. Visitation will be Sunday December 29 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Mankato Mortuary and will continue one hour prior to the service at church.  Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery at a later date.

Shirley was born on April 14, 1931 in Salina, Kansas to George and Marjorie (Weidman) Halbe.  Her mother died when Shirley was a young girl and her father re-married, Frances Anderson, the only mother Shirley knew and loved. Shirley was united in marriage to Jack Higginbotham, who died in 2013.  They had three children, Paul Michael Higginbotham, who died in 2004, Sue Eide and her husband Dale, who died in 2007 and Jack Douglas and Kim Higginbotham. Shirley had nine grandchildren, Lisa Eide, Karen Eide, Robert Eide, who died in 1979, Callie Higginbotham and Erik Mead and their daughter, Abigail Higginbotham and Mark Krogmann, Britta Higginbotham and Michael Chalhoub, Jeremy and Cassie Heller and their daughter, Matthew and Kristy Heller, and Jeffrey and Sarah Heller and their three children.  She had one brother, Doug and Norine Halbe. 

Shirley had a master’s degree in library science from Denver University.  She was the director of the Mankato Library and was very proud of the expansions and growth she saw in the system during her tenure.  Shirley served on many area non-profit boards and gave much of her time as a volunteer in the community.  Some of the organizations she was involved with were YWCA, Horizon Homes, and Harry Meyering Center Board of Directors, Merely Players Community Theater, Friends of the Library, and Zonta.  Her love of libraries continued into retirement where she managed and expanded the library at the First Presbyterian Church.  Shirley enjoyed reading and gardening.

Shirley faced her Alzheimer’s diagnosis with resolve, pragmatism, and a little humor.  She continued living her life fully until her final days as she did the rest of her life.  She did not let some adversity hold her back. 

The family would like to thank Abby and Britta Higginbotham, who were Shirley’s primary caregiver’s at the end of her life.