Sunday, October 23, 2011
Our loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend, DelMar Albert Higham, 90, went home to a loving Heavenly Father on October 23, 2011 in Gunnison, Utah.
Dad was born on January 10, 1921 in Centerfield, to Albert Edmund and Florance Childs Higham. He was raised in Centerfield and graduated from Gunnison Valley High School in 1940. In high school he was involved in the band program, playing trumpet. He used that skill many years to play taps for funerals and Memorial Day programs. He had a wonderful singing voice and used that voice to sing in many church and civic functions.
After graduation, he served honorably in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Upon returning, he enrolled at Snow College, where he was active in music and received an Associate�s Degree in Music. He taught one year at GVHS in the band.
He met and married his eternal companion, our mother, Shirley Eunice Clement on May 23, 1949, in the Manti LDS Temple. 
They just celebrated 62 years together.
From this marriage were born nine children: Eugene (Maureen), North Logan; Marianne Haleen, Gunnison; Lynn (Kathleen), American Fork; Leslie, Centerfield; Jolene (Burke) Willardson, Redmond; Jana Lee (Edmund) Young, Gunnsion; Edmond (Deanna), So. Jordan; Jerold, (Wendy), Ogden; and DelMarie, (Kenneth) Greenburg, Stansbury Park.
Dad was a hardworking, honest man who would do whatever he could to help those in need. He worked hard to raise all of us. He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a sixty-two year member of the American Legion. He served in many capacities in church and in the community, including music. Music was always important to him and he instilled that love in his children and grandchildren.
Dad is survived by his wife, Shirley; children; 34 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren; sister, Florance Lindhardt; many cousins, nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents; parents-in-law, Alma Levor and Maudie Clement; brother-in-law, Alma Levor Clement Jr.; sisters: Ada, Duella, Drucilla, Saliena, baby Gertrude; brother, Edmund; and grandson, Ryan Haleen.
The Leader of the Band is tired and his eyes are growing old. . .
Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 28, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. in the Gunnsion Stake Center. Friends may call at the Stake Center on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. and again on Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Gunnison Cemetery with military rites by the Gunnison American Legion Post #104.
The above, of course, is my Grandpa Higham's obituary. Grandpa was a great man. He wasn't very tall in stature, but I very much looked up to him. My last conversation with him before he died was about 10 days before he passed--I had called to talk to him and see how he was doing, since I'd heard he was in some pain. He didn't say much--just chuckled a lot like he normally did--he just asked me to please send him a "funny letter." So I did. I hope he found it funny enough--I like to think it made him chuckle in his "Grandpa Higham way." The very last thing he said to me was that he loved me.
God be with you 'till we meet again, Grandpa. I like to think you're organizing a choir on the other side--or maybe heading up the trumpeting angels--and that thought makes me happy! Love you and we'll miss you!
