Smith Mountain Cemetery

© The Bakersfield Californian
Wednesday, 31 October 2007

Henry "Hank" Highman
1924 - 2007

Henry "Hank" Highman, 83 years old, passed away October 28, 2007, at his home in San Luis Obispo, California.

Visitation will be held Thursday, November 1st, at the Wheeler~Smith Mortuary, 2890 S. Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, November 3rd, at Smith Mountain Cemetery, 42088 Road 100, Dinuba, California. Rev. Harry Phillips, Pastor of Sequoia Presbyterian Church in Orosi, California will officiate.

Mr. Highman was born February 10, 1924, in Orange Cove, California to Henry H. and Cora Isabel Highman. He attended grammar school and eighth grade in Orange Cove and high school at Reedley High School.

When WWII broke out in 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps, going through basic training in San Diego. He shipped out to Noumea, New Caledonia, attached to Headquarters Company of the 3rd Marine Amphibious Corps. completing two campaigns; Guadalcanal and Bougainvillea under General Vandegriff, Commander.

He was honorably discharged in 1945 and shortly thereafter returned to Fresno and married Wanda Elvira Simpson. He helped raise his son, Michael and daughter, Laurel.

In Fresno, he went into the dairy business with Golden State Dairy, which was later sold to Foremost Dairy. He transferred to Bakersfield when Foremost bought out the local dairy. He and his partner, Myron Simonian, established their own delivery service known as Kern Independent Dairy Delivery. After several years of growth, they sold routes to the Carnation Company. When Carnation moved to Bakersfield, Mr. Highman's position was eliminated and he was then employed by Jaco Oil Company in Bakersfield. He started immediately covering existing sales in the Fastrip Food Stores and also opening new stores from North Clear Lake to the Mexican border, from Bullhead City, Arizona to the coast cities in California.

It was during this time that Mr. Highman married his present wife, Katherine "Kathy". While on the coast, they were given an opportunity to purchase Pico's Sports Unlimited in Pismo Beach, California with his sister~in~law, Kathleen and her husband, Tony Fernandes, where a very pleasant 14 years were spent. As he was approaching 75 years of age, in 1999, they agreed to sell and retire.

Mr. Highman was a member of Visalia Breakfast Club, a Charter Member and President of South Bakersfield Lions Club (1957~1958), a Scout Master during his son's participation, a long~standing member of Business Improvement Group of Pismo Beach, Board Member of Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the Parking Assessment District for B.I.G. of Pismo Beach.

He participated with the Little League in the Five Cities area. He helped establish and operate the first years of the Pismo Beach car shows. He enjoyed and danced many years with Pismo and Taws Square Dance Club, and completed classes of round dancing and western dancing.

Henry is survived by his wife of 36 years, Mary Katherine Highman; one son, Michael and wife, Charlene of Oceano; one daughter, Laurel and husband, David Amaral of Visalia; daughter~in~law, Kathleen Fernandes and husband, Tony of Grover Beach, Patricia Ackley and husband, Michael of Visalia, Robin Hoffman and husband, Donald of Tulare, Susan Hoffman of Visalia, Helen and husband, Manny of San Jose; nephews, Gary Highman and wife, Helene of Orange Cove, Clifton Highman and wife, Rosemary of Boulder, Colorado, Larry Smith of Dinuba; niece, Sherry and husband, Jerry of Los Gatos; grandchildren, Mathew Amaral and wife, Nita of Visalia, Andrea Truitt and husband, Manuel of Virginia, Mark Amaral of Visalia, Ryan Wright of Bakersfield, Gabriel Rios and Vincent Wright of Sacramento, Jessica Highman of Bakersfield, Savonna Wilke and husband, John of Maricopa, Robert Karr and wife, Kelly of Kenniwick, Washington, Roy "Blue" Karr of Bakersfield; and 8 great grandchildren.

Mr. Highman was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Cora Highman; three brothers, Roy of Orange Cove, as well as his wife, Wilma, Oral of Bakersfield as well as his wife, Jewell, and Leonard of San Jose; one stepson, Kevin Robert Wright, as well as many close friends.

Contributions in Mr. Highman's memory may be made to Hospice Partners of the Central Coast or Wood's Humane Society.

Henry "Hank" Highman, February 10, 1924 ~ October 28, 2007

Wheeler~Smith Mortuary
(805) 543~6871

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