David Higbee died July 3, 2013 after his brave battle with a terrible and incurable cancer. He had been visited by friends and family throughout his illness, and was surrounded by his loving family when he peacefully passed away at the home of his devoted sister, Carol Iannuzzi. He was 51. Services will be held Saturday August 17, 2013 11 a.m. at The First Baptist Church of Newark, Texas. Lunch will be provided after the services in the church’s fellowship hall. The church is located at 1572 FM 3433 in Newark, and pastor Alan Six will be presiding. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent to: First Financial Bank – David Higbee Memorial Fund Or www.everribbon.com/ribbon/view/13326 David is survived by many people who hold him very dear: Lisa Higbee, his wife, and his three children, Grant, Gavin and Addison; his parents Don and Corinne Higbee of Mission, Texas, and his in-laws Boyd and Sherry Mooney of Weatherford, Texas; his brother Donald Higbee and his family of Dickinson, Texas; his sister Carol Iannuzzi and her family of Lewisville, Texas; numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins; and countless friends and former business associates. David was a very special person. “His jovial personality just filled the room,” remembers Tresa Higbee, his sister in law. “Everyone loved to be around him.” In fact, everyone who knew David would agree that his unique trademark was his out-sized buoyant personality that filled the room with good cheer, and made everyone smile and feel good to be around him. David Higbee was born December 24, 1961 in Longbranch, New Jersey, the third of the three children of Don and Corinne Higbee. Soon after his birth, his family moved to Texas and eventually settled in Dickinson. His parents were much beloved high school teachers in Dickinson and Pearland. David’s friends recalled his positive and outgoing spirit from their days in junior high school and high school in Dickinson. “Dave had the relentless ability to make everyone feel included,” said Irven King. “I was a shy guy in high school, and David and I were teamed up together on a class project. He brought out the best in people, and we forged a friendship that would last many years.” His lifelong friend, Joey Richards, always felt like a member of the Higbee family. “I remember playing Frisbee after school, and jumping on the trampoline together at his cousins’ house in Santa Fe. There were concerts and road trips, and some nights just talking and wondering about the future.” He had many charming talents too. He had a terrific artistic ability and could draw like a pro. His cousin, Monica Killingsworth, remembered his drawings, and still has one of a horse he drew for her 30 years ago: “He was very artistic. When we came over, he would draw for us, and tell us stories about the drawings he created. He was always so hilarious, how he teased and played with us, and entertained us.” His friend, Irven King recalled that, “He had a wicked sense of humor, and an ability to make and project sounds. One night when I was sitting on the Railroad Bridge over Dickinson Bayou, he came up behind me and made the sound of a train. I just about jumped off, he was so realistic!” David’s friend, Robert Bridges, remembered how David could make up a song at a moment’s notice. “Even to this day, I’ll think of David’s humorous rendition of Jingle Bells while I’m Christmas shopping: ‘Crashing through the aisles…snarling as I go’…” After graduating Dickinson High School and then local junior college, David attended the University of North Texas where he received a Bachelors of Business Administration in 1986. He worked in customer service and administration for many years before becoming an investment trainer for The Wizetrade Group. He was described by colleagues as a “customer favorite with extensive market knowledge, communication skills, and good nature.” He also had a “stellar work ethic,” and was someone who bent over backwards to help out in critical situations: “highly motivated, quick witted, honest, and very loyal,” his colleagues said. In the last years of his life, he worked for Jay Lynch and Associates as a Social Media Manager. He was especially proud of the website he worked on: www.ourstorytold.com . It is a website devoted to living history, where people can share memories, audios, and photos of an event or a person. David will be the first obituary on the website where friends and family can share photos and memories of him. David married the love of his life, Lisa Mooney, in Ireland in 1990. However, they couldn’t bring themselves to kiss the Blarney Stone for good luck. It was smeared with dirt and lipstick, and was “a little too disgusting to kiss!” Lisa recalled. They had three children, faced the ups and downs of the employment and life together over 23 years — and created a very close and loving family. Their son Grant paid a wonderful tribute to David’s role as a father, on the day David died: “This man’s presence was truly a blessing. He never gave me advice that didn’t help me tremendously. Even in his last weeks, he could only think of the people around him (not himself). If I can be as good to my wife and children as he has been to my mom, my siblings and me, I will consider my life a successful one.” David’s wife, Lisa, witnessed how bravely David faced his cancer ordeal. As one piece of bad news followed another over the last two months of his life, he still found occasion to laugh, to talk to family and friends, to look to the future welfare of his family, and to declare drily to his doctors: “I’m just along for the ride.” He did fight to eat, to walk, to breathe – to do all the normal things we take so much for granted, but which he had to make
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I also was a staple along with other guy at the Higbee Home, We all planned do out to
Lake Summerville. without checking the weather conditions. We all setup the tents, and commented as to how quite weather was……then it all came done..
we yanked everything up, no trying to properly put it all way, We loaded up and headed back to Dickinson. It was messy but a great bonding trip for us.
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