Roger Clyde Higbee

West Point, 1964

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by William T Murphy on September 10, 2009:

I first met Roger in Beast Barracks in the 2nd New Cadet Company. We were also company mates in I-2 for the first two years and also in A-2 for the last two years. He was the only classmate who was with me during our entire cadet experience. One of my first memories of Roger was when he received care packages from Cedar City, UT when we were Plebes. Usually there was a large sack of pine nuts. I am also a westerner and never thought anything from a pine tree could taste so good. Roger shared with every one. He was a good athlete especially in baseball and basketball. Academically he finished high in the class and was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers upon graduation. He helped me and others when we were struggling with some subject or another. One subject was his favorite. He took advance courses in chemistry. After a tour in Vietnam he went to grad school and received his masters degree in chemistry. He then went to USMA to teach chemistry. I visited Roger, Judy and the three boys and stayed with them in their Newburg home. After his West Point tour he went to Europe and was on the NATO staff in Brussels. Eventually he ended up assigned to the Corps of Engineers in California. He loved California and continued to stay fit playing ball, hiking, etc. Unfortunately he died too soon at a young age. While we were in I-2 he met a wonderful nursing student and fell madly in love. Judy and Roger were married on graduation day. Roger prevailed upon Judy to fix me up with all her good looking friends to include my date for the Ring Hop. I never had to worry about competing in a Pig Pool because all my blind dates were Pro. Roger is buried in the Higbee family plot in Cedar City, Utah. Judy has also erected a memorial plaque on the local golf course in honor of him. He was great friend and I think of him often. Rest in Peace Pal Bill Murphy I-2/A-2

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