Bobby “Bob” Lee Higgins, age 82 of Butler, Missouri died Monday, March 20, 2023 at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri. He was born June 16, 1940 to Benjamin Leo and Mae Bernice Shoemaker Higgins in Appleton City, Missouri.
Bob, one of two boys, grew up in Rockville and Appleton City, Missouri, graduating from Appleton City High School in 1958. He started his lifelong 45 year truck driving career at age 17 delivering grain for Colonel Heiman in Rockville. He has been driving ever since including Tiona Trucking for many years and retiring from Heartland Express out of North Liberty, Iowa. In June of 1962, he married Alice Mae Mills and to this union, a son and daughter were born. Bob was a former Mason and Shriner.
Bob had a quick wit, never met a stranger and made everything funny. Pastimes included watching westerns, playing cards, camping and boating every weekend at Stockton Lake, and reading most anything especially newspapers and Louis L’Amour books. He loved music–played trumpet in the high school band and bass guitar in a blue grass band named after the musicians, “Jim Bob Jim Bob Jim.” Bob certainly enjoyed his coffee and managed to drink 1 - 2 gallons of it every day. He was true and dedicated to his marriage vows til “death do us part.”
Bob is survived by a son, Chris Higgins and girlfriend Debbie Slattery of Smithville, Missouri; a daughter, Kari Higgins of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; three grandchildren, Alec Higgins, Ainsley Higgins, and Ethan Catron; and a brother, Jim Higgins and wife Cindy of St. Charles, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Alice Mae Higgins.
