Rickey "Coondog" Higdon

Rickey Darel "Coondog" Higdon, age 70, of Bryant, Alabama, passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by his loving family, on Thursday, June 25, 2026.

A funeral service to celebrate Rickey's life will be held at 1:00 PM CT (2:00 PM ET) on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at Mercy Temple Church in Pisgah, Alabama, with Brother Reggie Byrum officiating. He will be laid to rest at Straightway Cemetery in Bryant, Alabama.

The family will receive friends at the Bryant Chapel of Moore Funeral Home on Saturday from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM CT (5:00 PM until 8:00 PM ET) and again on Sunday from 11:00 AM CT until the service hour.

Rickey never met a stranger. Known by nearly everyone as "Coondog," he was outgoing, quick to laugh, and always enjoyed spending time with others. His nickname began in his younger days when he tied his coon dogs to a tree while playing in a football game because he planned to go hunting as soon as the game was over. The dogs barked throughout the entire game. Before long, Rickey had earned the nickname "Coondog," and it stayed with him for the rest of his life.

An avid outdoorsman, Rickey especially enjoyed coon hunting in his younger years and later found great satisfaction tending to his cows. He was also known for being resourceful and frugal, with a knack for fixing just about anything. If something was broken, Rickey could figure out how to make it work again.

Rickey spent many years serving as a maintenance supervisor for the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, but his greatest work often happened beyond his job description. While there, he developed a burden for those incarcerated at the DeKalb County Jail and started a jail ministry that changed countless lives. He regularly transported inmates to Mercy Temple Church in Pisgah, believing they deserved hope, compassion, and the opportunity for a fresh start. He also helped establish a community garden at the jail that produced enough food to help families and individuals in need throughout the community. Rickey saw value in every person, never looked down on others, and left a lasting impression on many whose paths crossed his.

Above all else, Rickey loved his family. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose steady presence, generous heart, and unwavering love will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 49 years, Sherry Higdon; son, Ryan (Jerica) Higdon; daughter, Robyn (Reggie) Byrum; sister, Connie (Manuel) Whited; grandchildren, Lacey Byrum, Chase (Juliea) Byrum, Jayla (Noah) Fossett, Briley (Yahir) Balcazar, Jenna (Braiden) Wells, Bristol Byrum, Jaci Ortega, Nito Ortega, and Jacob Ortega; great-grandchildren, Klayton Fossett, Indyana Balcazar, Monro Byrum, Myles Byrum, and Madden Byrum; along with several extended family members and many dear friends.

Rickey was preceded in death by his parents, Billy and Helen Higdon; his brother, Billy Higdon Jr.; and his father-in-law, Melvin Leslie Smith.