Chester Dale "Bud" Higginbotham, age 87 of rural Paris, passed away at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, September 15 at Life's Journey in Paris, IL.  Born July 7, 1932 at home on the farm near Martinsville, IL, the son of the late Ormal "Slim" and Opal Higginbotham, Bud was the fourth child of 9 brothers and sisters.  He married Beverly Hendrix on July 8, 1953 at the Five Points Christian Church in Marshall.

Chester and Beverly spent the first two years of marriage in Puerto Rico where Chester was serving in the Air Force. Joining the U.S. Air Force in March of 1952 during the Korean War, he ended up on the flight line with the crash and rescue fire department section. He also worked with the B36 and B47 bombers on Ramey Air Force Base, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

A farmer all of his life, Chester was born during wheat harvest time and started going to the field with his dad when he was four years old. Serving in the Air Force for four years he could not wait to return to Illinois and the farm. Planting and harvesting over 60 seasons, Chester also raised livestock and encouraged his children and grandchildren with 4-H.

Chester officially began farming on his own in 1949 with his 1944 Oliver 70 tractor and then collected and restored Oliver tractors when they no longer were manufactured.  He belonged to the Hart Parr Oliver Collectors Association and the I & I Tractor Club and has been written up in several magazines and newspapers. An Oliver Museum is located on his farm which includes over 35 restored tractors, many toy and pedal tractors, awards and other memorabilia.  Tractor pulls were a favorite family summer event and hobby for Chester and he especially loved pulling with his 1955 Oliver Super 99 Detroit GM Diesel tractor.

A member of the Illinois Crop Improvement Association since 1959, Chester and Beverly started their own seed bean business on the farm. He became president of Higginbotham Seed Company/Edgar County Seed in 1983 and continued that role in 1991 when the company became Higginbotham Seed/Great Heart Seed.

Active in the ag community, Chester represented Grandview Township on the Edgar County Farm Bureau Board for 12 years and also served on the Edgar County Marketing Board and the Paris Honeybee Association Antique Implement Show.

Starting with a 1945 Indian motorcycle, Chester then became a Honda Gold Wing Rider.  He loved taking long road trips with friends and family in the summer on his Gold Wing.  Traveling all over the United States and Canada with wife, Beverly, they visited all 48 states in the contiguous United States.

A member of the Bell Ridge Christian Church for 52 years, Chester served the congregation as assistant treasurer, deacon, trustee and church van driver for many of those years.

Survivors include his children; Bill (Jill) Higginbotham of Paris, Terry (Bonnie) Higginbotham of Paris, Patty (Randy) Higginbotham Shafer of Paris, Mike (Lee Ann) Higginbotham of Westfield, and Scott (Lori) Higginbotham of Paris, sister Rosemary (Bob) Linton of Marshall and brothers, Charles (Phyllis) Higginbotham,  Gene (Judy) Higginbotham, and Robert (Sheryl) Higginbotham of rural Martinsville and Floyd "Sonny" (Glenda) Higginbotham of Marshall, fourteen grandchildren; Hilary Walker, Jacob Higginbotham, Caleb Higginbotham, Emily Agan, April Creech, Shane Higginbotham, Travis Higginbotham, Brittany Rhodes, Jessica Adams, Betsy Wochner, Cody Adams, Zachery Higginbotham, Kahrissa Switzer, and Parker Higginbotham, five step-grandchildren; Brian Metzke, Mitchell Shafer, Whitney Shafer, Deborah Edwards, and Colten Oakley, nineteen great grandchildren; Paven Walker, Nova Walker, Leo Higginbotham, Logan Higginbotham, Hadley Higginbotham, Luke Higginbotham, Kaylie Creech, Adam Creech, Aidan Creech, Aubrie Creech, Cora Higginbotham, Clay Rhodes, Ty Rhodes, Karson Dunlap, Hunter Dunlap, Kaidence Adams, Maddox Adams, Ryder Adams, and Kane Wochner,  six step-great grandchildren; Drake Metzke, Grant Metzke, Jayton Boling, Peyton Edwards, Tyson Edwards, and Amelia Edwards, and many dear nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Beverly Jean "Hendrix" Higginbotham and also by two sisters, Louise Veach and Hazel Austin, a brother, Clifford Higginbotham and a great grandson, Boe Adams.

Visitation for Chester will be held at the Stewart and Carroll Funeral Home on Sunday, September 29 ^th from 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.  Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 30 ^th at Bell Ridge Christian Church with Bro. Kurt Speece officiating.  Burial will follow in Marshall Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to Bell Ridge Christian Church.  For further information and online condolences, please visit www.stewartandcarrollfuneralhome.com .