Obituary of George R. "Pete" Higinbotham

George R. “Pete” Higinbotham, 83, of Fairmont, passed away peacefully on December 7, 2024, at the Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, following a brief illness. Pete was born on April 23, 1941 in Somerset, Pennsylvania, the son of the late George R. and Josephine Carder Higinbotham Potter. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Janice Gallup Higinbotham, daughter, Michaela Mellichamp and son-in-law Doug, of Valencia, Spain; daughter, Carder Higinbotham, of New Orleans, Louisianna, and brother and sister-in-law, John and Jeanne Marie Higinbotham. Pete attended the Greenbrier Military Academy, Mercersburg Academy, and Tulane University in New Orleans, where he earned a degree in English. After graduation, he proudly enlisted in the United States Army and served in Korea. After he was honorably discharged from the Army, Pete attended law school at Tulane University on his veteran status. Upon graduation, he practiced with Apelred Legal Aid in Charleston, WV, as well as law in New Orleans at New Orleans Legal Aid Assistance Corporation as a legal aid attorney for many disadvantaged clients and then moved home to Fairmont where he and his brother, John, began and then expanded the law firm of Higinbotham & Higinbotham where Pete practiced law for 50 years. He also served as the Fairmont City Attorney for over a decade, and one of his greatest professional accomplishments was representing the city in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court where he prevailed. He served, gratis, as city attorney for Mannington and Rivesville, and for smaller towns that did not have an attorney. He also volunteered his time as a member of the Fairmont Police Civil Service Commission; Fairmont Urban Renewal Authority; Fairmont General Hospital Foundation; Pricketts Fort Board of Directors and president; Fairmont Industrial Credit Corporation; North Central Legal Aid Board of Directors and WV Legal Aid Society. Pete was a member of the WV State Bar Association, the Marion County Bar Association, the WV Association for Justice, and the American Association for Justice, Am Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, Am Trial Lawyer; Pete was a passionate trial lawyer and was a zealous, dedicated advocate for the causes of his clients whether their cases were big or small. Throughout his long career, he continually sought to learn new skills and methods for trial preparation. He often represented victims of domestic violence, pro bono, upon a beckon call. He also was an owner of a company that manufactured fire trucks. He treated others with respect and in turn gained the respect of his peers. While he was a fierce advocate for his clients, when a case was over, there was always a handshake and a bit of shared humor. Pete was a long-time member of the Fairmont Rotary Club where he served as president; was a Paul Harris Fellow and led a team of Rotarians on an exchange trip Brazil. He lived and worked by the Rotary motto of “service above self”. Pete was legendary for his fondness of bowties and even has a t-shirt that hangs at the law firm which say, “Bowties Are Cool”. He was a dog lover and often featured his dogs, Buck, Burgin, and Lucky in his business advertisements. Pete was adventurous and he and Jan traveled to many foreign countries. He had a special affection for New Orleans. Pete was an avid fisherman, backpacker, and hunter, as he went on several bear hunting trips to Canada and enjoyed deer hunting at his cabin in Preston County. He was proud of his muzzleloader shotgun. Pete was an amateur writer and enjoyed writing humorous stories, mostly about his life experiences, fishing and hunting. Pete will be sadly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Memorial donations may be made in Pete’s memory to either the Marion County Humane Society, PO Box 905, Fairmont, WV 26554, or to the Pricketts Fort Memorial Foundation, 88 State Park Road, Fairmont, WV 26554 The family has entrusted the arrangements to the Ford Funeral Home, Ford Chapel, 201 Columbia Street, Fairmont. In accordance with Pete’s wishes, cremation services will occur. A memorial service will be at a later date. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.fordfuneralhomes.com.