Eugenia Higginbotham

Eugenia Randall Higginbotham ("Kee")

With deep love and profound gratitude for a life so gracefully lived, we announce the passing of Eugenia “Kee” Randall Higginbotham beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on June 13, 2025, just two weeks shy of her 96th birthday.

Born on June 26, 1929, in Pascagoula, Mississippi, Kee was the daughter of Eugene Randall and Margaret Britt Randall. She was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, William J. “Biddie” Higginbotham, and by her first husband, Jimmy Sonnier, who passed away in 1954. She was also preceded in death by her siblings Eugene Randall, Sybil Smith, and Levy Randall. Also predeceased by grandchildren Ken (survived by wife Shan) Higginbotham and Jennifer Higginbotham Powell.

Kee converted to Catholicism in the mid-1950s and embraced her faith with devotion, becoming a member of Our Lady of Victories parish, where she remained active for over 70 years. She lovingly handcrafted over 68,000 rosaries for OLV’s mission in Saltillo, Mexico. One of the great joys of her life was attending Mass at the Vatican, where she was personally blessed by Pope John Paul II.

Kee’s greatest joy in life was her family. She was its heart and soul—steadfast, loving, and always present.

She is survived by her sister June Beasley, children: Carol (Dennis) Cannon, Randy (Luann Thornton Ellis ) Sonnier, Genia (Wayne Sellers) Pino,  and Margaret Anirah Ceconi; Kee’s stepchildren: Joanna Jones, Bill (Sarah) Higginbotham Jr., Helen (Curtis) Nupen, Mary Virginia (Wayne) Massey, and Peter Higginbotham. 

Kee also leaves behind her grandchildren: Jamie Kerkhoff and her children, Hannah and Hunter Kerkhoff; Kasey Wooldridge and her children Kyle Davis and Brandon Wooldridge; Keith (Anita) Higginbotham; Donna (Craig) Guyton; Leann (Mike) Connell; Byron Massey; Steven Massey; Stephanie Higginbotham; Robin (Kelli) Higginbotham; Ray (Kristian) Higginbotham; Robert Allen (Elizabeth) Jones; Karen Jones; Danny Jones; Cheryl (Kevin) Shults; John (Amy) Long; and Theresa O’Connell; along with 27 great-grandchildren and 16 great-great-grandchildren, all of whom she cherished deeply.

She shared a particularly special connection with her great-grandson Kyle through their shared passion for coin collecting, and her granddaughter Kasey, who shared her love of the beach, Mardi Gras and Lawrence Welk shows on Saturday nights.

Kee’s warmth touched everyone she met. She never arrived empty-handed—her pies, candies, and jellies were always a welcome treat. At Christmas, friends and family hoped to be on her list for her famous fruitcake. Her cooking—especially her gumbo, shrimp salad, and stuffed crab—was legendary. She was known for hosting priests for meals, and trips to the islands on their boat. Kee never forgot a birthday. She loved animals, especially cats, and welcomed many into her home over the years.

Kee and her husband Biddie cherished Sunday afternoons spent with her cousins Ann Chapman, Dink Purdy, Mitzi Hinman, and Pat Wilson. Those weekly gatherings around the kitchen table were full of love, laughter, and shared memories—a tradition that lives on in spirit now that she is reunited with them once again.

Kee gave herself selflessly throughout her life. Even in her nineties, she volunteered in the kitchen at the local Senior Center, helping others and forming lasting friendships. She worked hard alongside her husband on their shrimp boat and enjoyed the peace of being out on the water. Despite the demands of life, her spirit remained full of grace, humility, and generosity.

She was angelic, sweet, caring, and kind—the very definition of love in action. Kee was the last of her generation in the family, and her legacy lives on in every life she touched.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Katrina Rigsby Rush, Kee’s devoted caregiver for over two years. Kee deeply appreciated her kindness, compassion, and exceptional care.

A memorial Mass will be held at Our Lady of Victories Church, 503 Convent Ave, Pascagoula, MS. on June 28th at noon with visitation one hour prior at 11am. Graveside services will follow at Krebs Cemetery, with a gathering afterward at the Hilton Garden Inn 2703 Denny Ave, Pascagoula.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s Hospital in her memory.

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