The funeral arrangements for Hoover native and Auburn student James "Weston" Higginbotham have been announced, along with a scholarship created to honor his life and legacy at Auburn University.
Weston was a 2024 graduate from Spain Park High School in Hoover.
He went missing during a family vacation to Japan. A volunteer search-and-rescue team discovered his remains on a hiking trail he was last spotted entering. Officials in Japan say that foul play is not suspected in the case.
The story made international headlines as the family regularly posted updates and calls for information and volunteers to their social media platforms in an effort to locate him after his cell phone was turned off.
Nancy Higginbotham announced on her social media the details of the services on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026:
Visitation:
1:00pm-2:00pm
Asbury United Methodist Church
6690 Cahaba Valley Rd, Birmingham, AL 35242
Funeral Service:
2:00pm-3:00pm
Asbury United Methodist Church
Graveside:
3:00pm-4:00pm
Southern Heritage Funeral Home
475 Cahaba Valley Rd, Pelham, Al 35124
His obituary painted a picture of a young man with an adventurous spirit and a love for life, family and friends.
James “Weston” Higginbotham lit up every room with his charismatic smile. He was passionate about protecting the environment and was dedicating his life to sustainability. A proud vegan and environmental enthusiast, he rarely went anywhere without his reusable water bottle and fork, always trying to reduce waste and live intentionally. He was so kind and loved his family and friends and felt most grounded in nature.
Weston had an adventurous spirit whether it was skiing fearlessly right up to the point of wiping out, hitting big jumps on his mountain bike, or hiking Yosemite, the Pyrenees Mountains, Camino de Santiago, and the Swiss Alps. If there was sunshine and outdoor adventure to be had, he was there. In his family, Weston was the adventure leader and his family followed without reservation knowing he researched the best camping spot, hidden overlook, or the most authentic restaurant and could navigate most often with only a paper map.
Grayton, his brother, looked up to him in every way from running and climbing together to their shared love of music and fashion. Whether it was Weston coaching Grayton through his cross-country years or them playing video games together or mowing neighbor’s lawns side-by-side, they were the best of friends. Weston didn’t treat him as an annoying younger brother but instead included him into his friend group.
Weston cherished his friends and they meant more to him than they will ever know. Hanging out in his basement, random nights where his friends would rush into the house to “kidnap” him to go out, or going on extraordinary camping trips were frequent adventures, and each relationship Weston made was built on lifelong friendship.
Music was central to who Weston was. He attended over 135 live performances over the years and his eclectic taste in music was unmatched. He could bounce from an experimental hip-hop concert to a heavy metal concert and know the lyrics to all the sets performed. Weston didn’t just listen to music but absorbed it completely. It energized him, connected him to people, and was woven into some of his happiest memories with his friends and family.
Weston attended Auburn University where he studied Biosystems Engineering with a focus on sustainability. At Auburn, he was an active member of the climbing team, triathlon team, ASABE, ASAP, Engineers Without Borders and was excited to go to Bolivia in August to help oversee a project distributing water to a local village. He worked at Auburn’s research department and was deeply committed to using engineering to address the issue of energy consumption and sustainability in the world.
He studied abroad in Pamplona, Spain and backpacked throughout Europe as he thought learning about other cultures and experiencing the world outside your own backyard led to a richer understanding of others. He was a lifelong learner and at any given time, he might have a book about butterflies or about Malcolm X in his tote bag.
Weston’s newest adventure was completing a Half Iron Man. He was the most disciplined person most people knew and attacked his training with that same discipline. A typical day for him started with either a swim, run, or bike in preparation for an upcoming race. He kept meticulous records of his times and always challenged himself to be better than yesterday.
Weston had a fashion style all his own and loved the hunt at a vintage clothing store to dress authentically.
People who met Weston loved him and he loved them right back. He was inclusive to everyone and had lifelong friends from all backgrounds and walks of life. He was kind and respectful to others with a quick yes ma’am or no ma’am always in his back pocket. If a friend, neighbor, or stranger needed a helping hand, he was the kind of person who showed up without hesitation.
Weston is survived by his loving family- his mother and father, Nancy and Keith; his brother Grayton; his grandmothers and grandfather, Judy Higginbotham, Mary and Robert Holt; his aunts, uncles, and cousins; and his dogs- Patches, Pumpkin, and Pepper.
To honor Weston’s memory, take a walk at a state park, eat a vegan meal this week, stop and admire the sunset, tell those close to you how much you love them, and reduce the noise in your life.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the James "Weston" Higginbotham Endowed Scholarship fund for ecological engineering at Auburn University.
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