Our Experienced Staff

Each of the staff members at Higginbotham Funeral Home - Cross Plains is committed to providing your family with the finest in personal end-of-life care. In fact, for years, it’s been comforting for area families to know that we are available to help at any time of the day or night.

When a loved one dies, all you need to do is make one phone call. From that moment on, we’ll take on the responsibilities of the physical care of your loved one, and the emotional care of those left behind.

Please take a few minutes to get to know our funeral home staff. We’re sure you’ll find each of us to be all that you would hope for in a trusted funeral professional.
 

Scarlett Harrell Koettel, Administrative Assistant | Preneeds | Monuments | Notary Email: crossplainsfh@valornet.com Office Phone: 254-725-6153 Fax: 254-725-6877 I was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up around the funeral industry since my dad, Bob Harrell, was a Funeral Director/Mortician. We lived in Brownwood, Mineral Wells but I call Cross Plains, Texas my hometown. I am a 1988 graduated from Cross Plains High School,after graduation I married and moved to Abilene after my oldest son turned one we moved to Kentucky and lived there for 10 years. When a job opportunity opened up back in Texas I moved back with my 3 children where I started working at  Higginbotham Funeral Home in Rising Star, Texas. When the funeral home was to close I began working for the Abilene State Supported Living Center for the next 4 years. In March of 2014 I went to work for Higginbotham Funeral Home in Cross Plains. My husband, Delbert and I have 7 children and 3 grandchildren. I am member of the First Baptist Church. When I am not working at the Funeral Home or my personal business I enjoy working alongside my parents at their farm gardening and canning, quilting, hunting, spending quality time with my family and being involved in my community.

Ron Bell, Funeral Assistant You will find our Funeral Assistant, Ron helping to provide the best comfort and service for each family we serve. He is a long time resident of Cross Plains and very involved in our community. Ron is vice commander of the American Legion Post 423 in Cross Plains and he and the local American Legion provides honor guard for our veterans services.

Dee Harrell, Evening Attendent Dee has been apart of the Cross Plains community since 1982. She worked along her husband, Bob Harrell who was the Funeral Director/Manager at Higginbotham Funeral Home as the Administrative Assistant until they both retired in 2016. She now helps us out on our Visitations, fills in the office when needed.She is a great asset to our staff by providing comfort and support to the families we serve.

Bob and Dee Harrell, Funeral Director Emeritus After 34 years of dedicated service to the Cross Plains Community, Robert (Bob) Harrell, Funeral Director/Manager of Higginbotham Funeral Home, is setting his sights on a well-deserved retirement effective March 5, 2016 and spending more time with his recently retired wife, Dee Harrell, two children, 6 grandchildren and  doing what he loves gardening, hunting, tinkering on his farm equipment, tending to his livestock out at the homestead (Undertaker's Acres). Bob was born in Big Spring, but grew up in San Saba County. His parents were farmers and lived near Richland Springs where Bob graduated high school in 1962. Following high school, he worked for funeral homes in San Saba and Brady, for oil refinery in Odessa and then enrolled in Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in 1972. After Bob finished mortuary school, he worked for Wright-Morelock Funeral home in Brownwood and then he moved to Mineral Wells. The next seven years he worked for Baum Funeral Home and 8 months for Baum-Carlock-Bumgardner Funeral Home also in Mineral Wells.  In February of 1982 Bob and his wife, Dee and their two children Scarlett age 12 and Joshua age 6 moved to Cross Plains where Bob was employed by Higginbotham Funeral Home as Funeral Director/Manager. Bob became an integral part of the community serving those during their time of grief. He was very dedicated to his position and took pride in every aspect of funeral service, and was very willing to share his knowledge and experience with young people who chose this work. Bob never looked at his career as just a job he looked at as his calling and he had a servants heart and he felt that this is where God wanted him. Even though Bob was not born here or grew up in Cross Plains he called this wonderful caring community his home. Bob immersed his self into the community not only in his job but he also served as Fire Chief for15 years for the Cross Plains Volunteer Fire Department. After the Wild fire that stuck the community in 2005 he had to step down due to smoke insulation. He is now looking forward to being able to have the free time to be more involved with his family and to enjoy working on his farm.