Irene Ann Higginbotham

Irene Ann Higginbotham passed peacefully with family at her home in Aptos, California on November 12, 2022.

Irene was born on September 11, 1946, in Sacramento, California the daughter of Grace and Louis Gregory. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Bill; three daughters Julie and son-in-law Garrett Wood, Barbara Feeney Higginbotham, and Leslie Delorie; two brothers Brian and Robin Gregory; five grandchildren Reneé Laska, Megan Wood, Jordan Delorie, Gregory Feeney and Sean Feeney; two great-grandchildren Garrett and Kelsie Wood; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Irene grew up in the River Park area of Sacramento, then in 1960 moved near Sacramento High School, graduating in 1964. She soon began raising her family and traveling throughout California with Bill as he worked surveying for the State Park System. In 1970 the family settled in South Sacramento as the children became school age. It was here that she became a young member of her beloved 'Bunco Girls', a group of 8 women who began meeting together monthly and making annual trips together during the next 50 years.

In 1976 the family moved to Wilton where Irene gave ceramic classes to 4H children and to her neighborhood friends. Once her children graduated from school in the 1980's Irene began working as a loan processor for a mortgage company, then working for the State Franchise Tax Board and moving on to the Housing Finance Agency. In 1997 she moved to Aptos, California and began working for the Dept. of Justice finally retiring from the State in 2002.

In Aptos Irene continued her artwork and ceramics thru the Adult Education Programs along with making clothes, quilts and blankets for all her family as they grew up. She was a skilled cook and seamstress. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, art, ceramics, reading and most of all her family. Irene was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis in 2016, which slowly began to impact her life, but she never complained. Her gentle spirit and kindness will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Funeral Mass will be held for Irene on Friday, January 20, 2023 beginning at 10:00 AM at St. Mary's Cemetery, 6509 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento, CA; internment service will follow the Mass. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Irene's name to her favorite charity St Jude's Children's Research Hospital, or to Hospice of Santa Cruz County who greatly assisted the family using their expertise and compassion during her final weeks with them.

Mehl's Colonial Chapel of Watsonville was entrusted with the funeral arrangements.

Published in The Pajaronian · December 28, 2022