Sherwell Roy Higdon

Roy Sherwell Higdon, 81, of Pensacola, Florida, passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2025 at his home surrounded by his family.
Born on June 9, 1944 to the late Roy Albert & Ruth Guffey Higdon, he was the oldest child to become the leading member of the Gospel Singing Higdon Family, known to all as one of the finest musicians to ever grace the stage. His ability to play most any instrument was a testament for his love of music and performing with his family gave him great pleasure and a blessing to those in attendance. He graduated from Pisgah High School in 1962, worked at Combustion Engineering for many years, and pastored the Nickajack Holiness Church. He and his brother operated Higdon Enterprises in Trenton, Georgia, where he taught piano to many students in the Dade County area and was a HAM radio operator for 54 years with the call name of W4IDD, or as known to most, "I Diddle Diddle!" In addition to his parents, Sherwell was preceded in death by his sister, Lanella Higdon.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 35 years, Gail Fuller Higdon; sons, Jerome (Crystal) Higdon, Sam (Linda) Higdon, Stephen (Vonnie) Wilson, & Allen (Lea) Wilson; daughters, Dewanna (Claude) Shelton, Tammy (Jeff) Johnson & Debbie (Jason) Steele; sisters, Lavelda Floyd, Loretta (Edgar) Hawkins, Marcella Higdon, & Tolitha (Bruce) Bowden; brother, Joe (Pat) Higdon; twenty-two grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren, many nieces & nephews also survive.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 19 at 12:00 p.m. EST at Higdon Baptist Church with Rev. Frankie Carroll officiating. Interment will follow in Higdon Cemetery with nephews serving as pallbearers. To share condolences, visit his online guestbook at ryanfuneralhome.net.
The family will receive friends on Friday, July 18th from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until the service hour at the church, located at 28866 AL Highway 71, Higdon, AL.
Arrangements are under the care of Ryan Funeral Home & Crematory, Trenton, GA.