After a long, productive, well-lived life, Lucille Higginbotham Calk passed from this earth into the presence of her Lord, Jesus Christ on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at the age of 96. A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church, Monroe at 11:00 A.M. on March 2, 2023, with a visitation prior to the service from 10:00 A.M. until 11:00 AM. Rev. Terry Slawson and Rev. James Doughty will officiate. A private graveside service will follow. Visitation will be from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at Kilpatick Funeral Home-Monroe.

Lucille was born on August 19, 1926 in San Augustine, TX and is survived by her daughter Sandy Calk Swinney (Mike); son, Danny Calk (Rose); brother, Sam Higginbotham (Norma); sisters: Dorothy Kelley (Ken), Peggy Shannon and Kathryn McCauley; granddaughters: Michaela Cox, Mandi Moore (Brian), Sarah Calk, Kim Wallett (Mike); great grandchildren: Megan and Jesse Cox; Eli Moore; Nolan, Glenn and Lucy Wallett; Sarah Knepper (Devan) – an unexpected blessing to her life through her daughter Sandy and family; numerous nephews, nieces, great nephews and great nieces as well as many friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 28 years, Glenn Calk; her son, Randy Calk; her parents: Sam and Eula Mae Higginbotham; brothers: Edward, J.D., Floyd, Joe, Billy and S.G. Higginbotham; and sisters: Lorene Upshaw, Pauline Rash, and Faye Holmes.
Lucille grew up on a farm in east Texas, but upon graduating from high school, shook that red dirt off her feet and moved to Houston, where she continued her education and became very involved in First Baptist Church. Her heart’s desire was to be a missionary to China but was prevented due to health reasons, so she did the next best thing – became active in missions organizations, even spending time with Native American Indians in Mississippi one summer. Her life-long devotion was to missions. She met her husband in Houston and they began their life in Texas but moved to Monroe, after a one year stopover in Pine Bluff, AR.
Lucille and Glenn bowled together until he started traveling with work, then she bowled on a league with her friends. She was an avid St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan, member of a garden club, worked at the polls on Election Day, member of Republican Women, member of Bible Study Fellowship for 7 years, volunteer at St. Francis North Monroe from its opening until she was no longer able to do so. She served so many hours that she received the Point of Light award for her service there. Lucille was a life-long Southern Baptist, belonging to Parkview Baptist Church, Monroe, then Emmanuel Baptist Church, Monroe and First Baptist Church, Monroe for the last 40 years. She worked at Kelso’s Children’s Shop for a number of years.
She and her husband made great friends wherever they lived because they knew how to be great friends. They were both people lovers. Wherever they lived, they quickly established domino parties, which became legendary! Lucille was a great cook and very hospitable – always opening her home for parties, showers, meetings, even hosting Chinese students who needed a place to stay while enrolled at ULM. She loved to travel and was fortunate to have friends and family with whom to travel. She was blessed in this life to see and do more than she ever dared dream, for which she was very grateful; but what she is seeing now is beyond our ability to imagine or comprehend! Glory to God!
Our family would like to thank her caregivers at Landmark Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Ascend Hospice Care for the personal interest and attentiveness they showed in caring for her.
Pallbearers will be Thomas Rash, Rick Hall, Shayne Jordan, Greg Higginbotham, Dennis Higginbotham and Tim Higginbotham.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church, Monroe Building Fund.

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