Services celebrating the life of Charlie Higgins, will be held at 2:00 on Friday, October 4, 2013 at Leak Memory Chapel, Montgomery, Ala. Visitation will be Thursday, October 3, 5:00-7:00pm at Leak Memory Chapel.

Charlie was born on April 15, 1920 in Montgomery, AL and went home to be with his wife of 64 years, Celia Higgins, on Tuesday Oct 1, 2013 at the young age of 93 years young, according to his standards.

Charlie has had an impact on so many lives and the state of Alabama throughout his life. He attended Auburn University where he was a Theta Chi and member of the Auburn Band. After attending Auburn University he was head of Procurement at Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile, AL. In 1956 Charlie was hired on with the Easter Seals organization in Montgomery. He would be named President in 1973 and remain in that position until his retirement in 1986. You can't speak of Easter Seals in Alabama without mentioning Charlie Higgins at the same time. He was one of the primary individuals responsible for building the fantastic network of Easter Seals facilities that served individuals with disabilities from Huntsville to Mobile. He played a major role in the development and fund raising of one of his proudest accomplishments, Camp ASCCA, a camp for individuals with disabilities so they too can participate in a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities. Until his death, he still served on the board.

Charlie was an active member of several organizations, and his true passion was playing his trumpet. He was the oldest living member of the Auburn Knights Alumni Association. Every year at the Auburn Knights reunion, the one thing everyone couldn't wait to see and hear was Charlie playing Sugar Blues. He was the reunion coordinator and was a past President of the association. He also was a Shriner belonging to the Alcazar Shrine Temple. He served many posts with the Shiners' and played in their band which performed all over the South. Charlie was also a member of the Royal Order of Jesters serving in many different areas including the Director of the Book of Play. He was a member of the Montgomery Rotary Club also serving as a past President. One of his biggest accomplishments and things he was most proud of was his perfect attendance for 46 years. He loved going to his meetings and getting to visit with everyone who got the honor to sit at "Charlie's Table."

He was always the one to truly give you his shirt off his back, never met a stranger, Loved the Lord, his family, and his country, and truly loved his Auburn Tigers and playing his trumpet.

Charlie is preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Celia Higgins, and his parents.

He is survived by his daughter, Linda Bozeman and husband Larry, his Grandson Clay Fowler and his wife Dawn and daughter Isabella, and his grandson Greg Fowler and his 2 sons Waylon Moon and Wyatt Fox.

Pall Bearers will be Clay Fowler, Greg Fowler, Mike Lyle, Barry Cavan, Gene Mosley, John Stevenson, Donnie Newton, Nat Michelson and Ryan Chapman.

Honorary pall bearers will be Earl Heath, Auburn Knights Alumni Association, Camp ASCCA, Montgomery Rotary Club, Alcazar Shrine Temple, Royal Order of Jesters, and the Easter Seals of Alabama.


Published in the Montgomery Advertiser on October 3, 2013