Jerry Wayne Higginbotham, 82, passed away at his home in Fernandina Beach on Sunday, November 26, 2023, where he and his wife, Annette have resided since 1970.
He was born in Jacksonville, FL and was a son of the late Robert Nathaniel and Annie Mae Johnson Higginbotham.
Jerry served his country honorably in the U.S. Navy. He was later employed at Rayonier and retired after forty-one years. More important to Jerry, his life exemplified his strong faith in Jesus Christ and his unwavering love and support of his family. He was an active, longtime member and deacon of Lighthouse Bible Baptist Church in Fernandina Beach, and ensured these properties were passed on to his children.
Being with family was the thing Jerry enjoyed most. When not surrounded by family, Jerry was an enthusiast of woodworking and in his younger years he enjoyed tinkering with cars and was pleased to pass on his experience and knowledge to his sons. He handled most of his own home repairs and maintenance and taught his sons as much as he could. He often said of himself, he was a “Jack of All Trades, Master of None.”
In addition to his parents, Jerry is preceded in death by his brothers Leroy and Robert, as well as his older sister, Francis.
He leaves behind his wife, Annette Hicks Higginbotham of Fernandina Beach; his four children, Laura (Ken) Stedman of Anchor, Illinois, Andrew (Teresa) Bryan of Yulee, Jerry W. (Amy) Higginbotham Jr. of New Braunfels, Texas and Jason (Michael) Higginbotham of Yulee; two sisters, Barbara Gulick and Patricia Higginbotham, both of Jacksonville as well as four grandchildren, Joshua, Athena, Ashley, and Zachary and nine great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 in the Burgess Chapel of Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors with visitation beginning at 10:00 A.M.
He will be laid to rest with military honors at Jacksonville National Cemetery at 2:30 PM the same day.