Walter Bivens passed peacefully at home in Houston, Texas, on April 10, 2020 at the age of 87, surrounded by people who love him very much. He is survived by: his wife of 66 years, Barbara Louise Higginbotham Bivens; their three sons, Mark Bivens of Onalaska, Texas, Steve Bivens and wife Dawn of Richmond, Texas, and Scott Bivens and wife Rebecca of Houston, Texas; and their daughter, Susan Khoobiar and husband Bill of Tomball, Texas; his sister Mary Ann McDonald of Indianapolis, Indiana, and his brother Bobby Bivens of Sherwood, Arkansas; as well as seven grandchildren: Samantha Leverett, Kristin Khoobiar, Brittany Bivens, Kasey Martinez, Brad Bivens, Savannah Bivens, and Charlotte Bivens. He was preceded in death by his father, Earl Bivens and his mother, Vivian Wilson Bivens.
Walter was born on January 29, 1933, in Little Rock, Arkansas. He graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1950 and attended Little Rock Junior College, before receiving a Bachelor’s Degree from Arkansas Polytechnic College in Russellville. In 1951, while still in Little Rock, Walter and Barbara met and a love began which continues to this day. After they graduated, they were married in June, 1954. They lived in the Little Rock area until he was called to active duty in the Army from the National Guard of Arkansas in 1955 and served at First Army Headquarters on Governors Island, New York, until 1957. After being honorably discharged, Walter returned to employment at Maryland Fire and Casualty in Little Rock. When American General Life Insurance Corporation took over the company, he was asked to transfer to the home office. And so, he moved his young family to Houston in 1964 and worked for American General for 37 years, until he retired in 1995.
Walter was a quiet, gentle man who made a big impact on a lot of people. He lived his life as a testimony of devotion to his family in his younger years, and as a testimony of faithfulness in his later years as he came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Some words used to describe him are solid, observant, kind, endearing, funny, loyal, determined, a great listener, loving, compassionate, and faithful. When he was a boy, he loved to be on the river fishing, especially at his Uncle Claude and Aunt Gladys’ houseboat. When his children were young, he loved to be on the ballfield with his boys as the coach of their baseball teams. And when he was older, he enjoyed spending time with his children, their families, and his church family at Calvary Community Church, where he served as a deacon, small group leader, and as a volunteer in many different capacities alongside his wife, Barbara.
The funeral service will be held to celebrate Walter’s life at Calvary Community Church on Monday, April 20, 2020, at 10:00am. Because of restrictions due to the coronavirus, we are limited to just 10 people or less from the immediate family in attendance for the service. The family invites you to watch the livestream of this service online at 10:00am through either of the following channels:
Interment will follow immediately after the service at Houston National Cemetery.
In honor of his practice of generosity, the family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to
Compassion International
as they have sponsored children with that organization for many years, or to John and Beverly Atkins’ ministry in Roatan,
MissionRevive.com
, as they deal with the impact of the economic downturn on the poor and needy during this difficult time.
The family also wishes to thank Chip Beresford of Beresford Funeral Home and Jeff McGee, Senior Pastor at Calvary Community Church, for their assistance.
