Arlene Parker Higgins

Arlene Parker Higgins was born October 16, 1940 to Oather and Essie Williamson Parker in Lincoln, AR. She was the second of five children, having 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Arlene grew up in Stilwell, OK having gone through all the school years there except for about 6 months when she went to the 3rd grade in Gentry, AR.

Most of her jobs were in the field of retail sales. She worked for Sears, Dillards, where she managed the seasonal department, Casual Corner and Capezio as assistant manager and retired from Dress Barn in Springdale, AR as the store manager. She enjoyed retail sales except for maybe the late hours and weekends. After she moved to Watonga to be near her family, she went to work at The Watonga Republican newspaper as the front office manager for several years.

She was married to Stewart Frederick Higgins in July, 1957. They were married 56 years when Fred passed away in November 2013.

She was preceded in death by her dad in 2003 and her mom in 2014 of Watonga, her sister, Loretta Rachwal of Oklahoma City in June 2007, a niece, Nancy Bishop of Oklahoma City in May 2007, a nephew, Stephen Clay Park of Thomas in December 2000, a nephew, Charles Parker of Colorado in 1981, her 2 year old son, Mark Higgins, who died in an accident in July 1964, her brother, Lacy Parker of Greenfield in August 2011, her brother, Anthony Parker of Watonga in September 2012, her grandson, Desmond Williams in November 2020 and of course her 2 sets of grandparents.

Survivors include her daughter, Karin Elliott and husband Tad of Watonga, son Wesley Higgins and wife Missy of Holdenville, OK, son Scott Higgins and wife Angie of Wichita Falls, TX, son Travis Higgins and Shannon Littrell of Fayetteville, AR and daughter Erica Lanning and husband Brian of Springdale, AR. Nineteen grandchildren, Kim Daniels, Kurtis Henderson, Justin Higgins, Heather Higgins, Bryan Higgins, Haili Bohannan, Micayla Stevens, Courtney Gilliam, Bradley Higgins, Spencer Higgins, Josh Evans, Hilary Fanning, Dustin Shipp, Ashley Shipp, Kristopher Randolph, Dustin Randolph, Breanna Williams, Sydney Stockton and Mathew Stockton. Twenty eight great grandchildren plus 3 in the oven. Her sister, Yvonne Garcia, her husband Ted and their family of Watonga.

The viewing will be held at Turner Funeral Home, 203 W. Main St. in Geary, OK on March 21, 2021 from 1:00pm-9:00pm and March 22, 2021 from 9:00am-9:00pm.

Services will be at 1:30pm on March 23, 2021 at First Baptist Church in Watonga, OK with Pastor Jim Westmoreland officiating and Turner Funeral Home providing services.

Burial will be 1:30pm on March 24, 2021 at Oak Grove Cemetery in Stilwell, OK with Tim Allen, Arlene’s nephew, officiating. (Paid Obituary)