Visitation for Weston will take place on June 17, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham, Alabama
The family of James “Weston” Higginbotham, the Auburn University student who died while traveling in Tokyo, Japan, has established an endowed scholarship to honor his lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainability, and service.
The James “Weston” Higginbotham Endowed Scholarship will support Auburn students pursuing ecological engineering, ensuring that the work Weston cared about so deeply continues long after his passing in a Kyoto forest.
His family announced the fund on Facebook, asking that donations be made to the scholarship in lieu of flowers. The scholarship reflects a life dedicated not only to studying environmental challenges but to solving them.
Weston, 20, was a Biosystems Engineering student at Auburn University with a focus on sustainability. He worked in Auburn’s research department and was deeply committed to using engineering to address energy consumption, water access, and environmental sustainability.
At Auburn, he was active in the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), Auburn Student Aerospace Projects (ASAP), Engineers Without Borders, the climbing team, and the triathlon team. He had been preparing for a trip to Bolivia this August, where he planned to help oversee a water distribution project for a local village.
But those who knew him say his environmental values were not confined to academics.
A proud vegan and environmental enthusiast, Weston rarely went anywhere without a reusable water bottle and reusable fork. His family described him as someone who sought to reduce waste, live intentionally, and spend as much time as possible outdoors.
“He felt most grounded in nature,” they wrote.
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His love for the natural world took him across continents. According to family, Weston hiked Yosemite National Park, the Pyrenees, the Camino de Santiago, and the Swiss Alps. He studied abroad in Pamplona, Spain, then backpacked across Europe, believing that experiencing other cultures created a richer understanding of people and the world.
The outdoors was where he seemed most alive. Whether skiing, mountain biking, climbing, camping, running, or training for a Half Ironman, he embraced challenge with enthusiasm and discipline. According to his family, he meticulously tracked his training and constantly pushed himself to improve.
Weston was also known as the family’s unofficial expedition planner.
“If there was sunshine and outdoor adventure to be had, he was there,” his family wrote, recalling how he would research hidden overlooks, remote campsites, and authentic restaurants, often navigating with nothing more than a paper map.
Friends occupied an equally important place in his life. His family described countless evenings spent with friends in his basement, spontaneous outings, camping trips, and a network of lifelong friendships that crossed backgrounds and interests.
Music was another passion. Weston attended more than 135 live performances, moving effortlessly between genres from experimental hip-hop to heavy metal. His family said music energized him and formed some of his happiest memories.
A lifelong learner, he was rarely without a book, whether about butterflies, history, culture, or social justice. He was equally known for his distinctive fashion sense and his enthusiasm for vintage clothing stores.
His family says Weston approached people with kindness, respect, and inclusiveness, always willing to help a friend, neighbor, or stranger.
Weston Higginbotham’s funeral will take place June 17, 2026
The new scholarship transforms personal loss into an investment in future environmental leaders. For students pursuing ecological engineering at Auburn, the fund will help support work that Weston believed could improve lives and protect the planet.
His family has encouraged those wishing to honor his memory to spend time outdoors, share a vegan meal, watch a sunset, tell loved ones how much they care, and reduce some of the noise and distractions of daily life.
Visitation for Weston will take place on June 17, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, followed by a funeral service from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. A graveside service will follow at Southern Heritage Funeral Home in Pelham.
Weston is survived by his parents, Nancy and Keith Higginbotham; his brother Grayton; grandparents Judy Higginbotham, Mary Holt, and Robert Holt; extended family members; and his beloved dogs Patches, Pumpkin, and Pepper.
For many, the scholarship may become the most enduring expression of his legacy: helping future engineers tackle environmental challenges while carrying forward the curiosity, compassion, and sense of adventure that defined his life.
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