Sarah Pearl Higginbotham Halford, 92, passed away on December 21, 2024, at her residence outside of Meadville, MS.

Sarah went by many names. Her family called her Pearl, her newer friends called her Sarah, and her long-time friends called her Sarah Pearl. Her nieces and nephews call her Aunt Pearl.

Sarah was born on February 11, 1932, the daughter of Rev. Cole Younger Higginbotham and Sarah Fannie Whittington Alexander Higginbotham in Walnut Grove, MS. After graduating from Roxie High School, she went on to study at Copiah-Lincoln Jr. College, earning an associate's degree. Much later she attended Tyler Jr. College and the University of Texas-Tyler, taking all the accounting courses.

She started taking piano lessons in the 5th grade and could read music easily. Soon she was teaching herself to play hymns and popular music. She often accompanied her father to small churches on Sunday afternoons to play the piano in absence of a local pianist.

While at Co-Lin, she was in numerous clubs, being secretary of her Sr. Class and Glee Club. She played the piano for two semesters for the Wesley Foundation. She was elected Homecoming Queen and Miss Copiah Lincoln. She said it was, "Unbelievable!". After graduating from Co-Lin, she went to work with Jackson Public Schools Cafeteria as bookkeeper.

She met her future husband Wayne Halford in 1949 at Oak Grove Methodist Church while visiting her local cousins. They married on June 3, 1952, while he was in the army. Once Wayne returned from the army and before heading to Mississippi State College Sarah worked as the bookkeeper for Fayette and Harriston Lumber Companies. Then during their time at State, she worked as a secretary for the Dept of Industrial and Institutional Management in the Business School.

Sarah continued to be active in various clubs and organizations, such as the Women's Society of Christian Service, and the Home Demonstration Club as well as the Methodist Church in the many places she lived, including Jackson, Fayette, Starkville, Brookhaven and Meadville in Mississippi, New Orleans, Metairie, Slidell, Gonzales and Lafayette in Louisiana as well as Tyler, TX.

In 1987, they retired for the first time and relocated to Franklin County, MS where Wayne grew up. She said it was a good move and that she was happy here with many friends and family in the area.

Sarah was preceded in death by her parents, husband Wayne, sister Wilena Stark, brother-in-law Mike Stark, brothers John, CY Jr and Ralph as well as sister-in-law Norabeth Halford. She is survived by son, Kirby Halford (Pam) and Sandra Amburg (James), grandchildren Carmen Halford (Ritwick Rane), Mandy Halford (Evin Baird), Brandon Amburg, Kirby Amburg, great grandson Vimb Halford-Rane, sisters-in-law, Evelyn Burnham Higginbotham, Clara Parker Higginbotham, Kay Heck Higginbotham, Elsie Halford Quinn, Erma Halford Luckett, numerous nieces & nephews and long-time caregiver and friend Bonnie Oglesby.

Services will be held at Meadville Methodist Church on January 11, 2025, at 11 am with visitation at the church starting at 10 am and burial at Midway Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Meadville Methodist Church or Oak Grove Methodist Church.