Mamie Elizabeth "Libby" (Patterson) Higginbotham

Rock Hill, SC – Mrs. Mamie Elizabeth “Libby” Higginbotham, 71, passed away Friday, October 25, 2024, at Wayne T. Patrick Hospice House with her loving husband, Ricky Higginbotham by her side.

Memorial service will be 12:00 pm (Noon) Saturday, November 2, 2024, Unity at Calvary, 550 Hollis Lakes Road Rock Hill, SC 29732.  Following the service there will be a celebration at the Elks Lodge, 535 Hollis Lakes Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732 from 1:00 until 4:00 pm.

Libby was a daughter of the late John Walter Patterson and Tressie Totherow Patterson.  She will be remembered as a light that filled every room because she didn’t just walk into a room; she lit it up. Her laughter had this way of making everyone feel welcome, and her energy was something you felt even before you saw her. Holidays were her stage—her kitchen filled with the warmth of good food, good people, and so much laughter. She loved feeding others, making sure every plate was full, and every heart felt at home. With her, there was no pretense. She was strong and straightforward, never sugarcoating a word, yet always there with open arms and a soft heart. She raised her own kids, her grandkids, great-grandkids, and pretty much anyone who needed a motherly hand. So many thought of her as “Mom,” and she wore that title with pride. She was a force of nature—a mix of strength and compassion. She’d give you the shirt off her back and then make sure you sat down to a warm meal. Her laugh was contagious and filled every corner, making each gathering brighter and every moment richer. She was a woman who loved to try new things, always up for an adventure, until she met the love of her life and found her forever home.

Surviving are her husband, Ricky Lane Higginbotham; two children, Mary Elizabeth Carlson and Benjamin Adam Russell; and many grandchildren and a great-grandchild.  Preceded in death by a son, Jeffrey John Russell.

We’ll miss her light, her laughter, and her way of turning any gathering into a celebration. Her spirit will live on in every shared laugh, every meal with friends and family, and every room that feels a little brighter because of her memory. Forever missed, forever loved.

Whitesell Funeral Home is serving the family.