Grayson County Fiscal Court, at the request of Judge-Executive Kevin Henderson, has designated a roadway in honor of late Magistrate Robby Higdon.
At Tuesday’s Fiscal Court meeting, Henderson asked magistrates to consider designating Nelson Road, which traverses Millerstown Road to Peonia Road just south of Clarkson, “Robby Higdon Memorial Highway.”
The roadway, which has recently undergone a much-needed facelift, was the focal point of Higdon’s campaign as he ran for magistrate, according to Magistrate Tommy Higdon, as he promised his constituents that the road would be improved and made safer for travel.
“It is my recommendation now … Robby was a friend of mine,” Henderson said. “He used to work for me back when I built houses. I’ve known him for over 30 years. I feel … we should not necessarily rename the road but make it ‘Robby Higdon Memorial Highway.’”
Henderson said he and Tommy Higdon visited Robby not long before he passed away on July 7, 2019, after a long battle with cancer, and asked him what he would like them to do for him.
Robby’s answer was unsurprising.
“Me and Tommy went out to his house before he passed away,” Henderson told magistrates, “and I asked Robby specifically, ‘Do you need anything … what do you want us to do?’ and Robby said, ‘Just make sure that you get that done (improving Nelson Road), I promised people that we would get that done.’ And so, I wanted to make sure we got that done for him, at any cost.”
Henderson added that he “would be honored if you all (Fiscal Court) would consider it,” as he requested that Robby’s replacement on Fiscal Court, Kevin Fulkerson, make the motion to approve the move, which he did.
Henderson then asked Robby’s close friend and distant relative, Tommy Higdon, to second the motion designating Nelson Road as “Robby Higdon Memorial Highway,” which he did.
The motion was then unanimously approved.
“Robby would be honored to have his name placed on Nelson Road,” a pleasantly surprised Nichole Higdon said of her late husband. “If he was here, he would have some kind of joke to go with it.”
Nichole then jokingly equated the Nelson Road designation to a parade that Robby said was held in his honor every year.
“His birthday was September 2, almost every year it fell on Monday when we had the Labor Day Parade, so he always joked that the parade was for his birthday,” Nichole said. “Thank you to Fiscal Court for thinking of him and doing this in his memory.”
Parades come and go, but “Robby Higdon Memorial Highway” will always be a reminder of the man who gave so much to his community and to those in need.
Henderson noted that signs will be placed on both the Peonia Road and Millerstown Road ends of Nelson Road announcing it “Robby Higdon Memorial Highway.”
(Headline photo: Robby Higdon and family at his Fiscal Court swearing-in ceremony)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
