By Clay Waldron – Originally published in the 2014 Founder’s Review
Jim and Virginia Higginbotham first met in junior high and began dating in high school. The couple married during their senior year and have been by each other’s side for the past 48 years. Jim joined the Army in 1969, serving one tour in Vietnam, where he was stationed in Hue, the largest northern town. He was with the 101st Airborne and carried a radio on his back. After Vietnam, Jim spent a tour in Fulda, Germany, along the East-West border, where he monitored communications between the Germans and Russians. Virginia moved to Germany with their two boys, James and Douglas, to be with him. While in Germany, Jim trained as an air conditioning mechanic.
After seven years in the Army, Jim and Virginia moved to Miami, where Jim’s father had been living for two years and had an AC business. Although Jim had learned a lot about air conditioning in the classroom, he had little field experience when he started. However, he quickly caught on with hands-on work and received his contractor’s license in 1978. By 1980, Miami was experiencing the McDuffie Riots, and crime rates were rising. After multiple break-ins at Jim’s office, the couple decided to leave Miami. In 1987, they found a waterfront lot advertised in a Block Brothers Real Estate magazine, and by 1988, they had contracted to build their home on Little Lake Weir, where they have lived for the past 25 years.
Jim started Diamond H Air and Heat after moving to Belleview, initially working from home until 1995, when he rented an office in Silver Springs Shores. In 1997, they purchased a building and three acres on 110th Street. The business grew to five trucks and four office staff, serving Marion and North Lake counties. Jim became involved with the Big Sun AC Contractors Association, serving as president for three terms. The group held monthly meetings with speakers on topics like building codes and AC industry issues. Jim also worked with the Department of Professional Regulation (DPR) on a sting operation to catch unlicensed contractors, verifying the condition of units before the DPR called in the contractors.
Community involvement has always been important to Jim and Virginia. From 1999 to 2001, Jim served as president of the Belleview South Marion Chamber of Commerce and participated in various events, including Founder’s Day, Nine Mile Pond, Light Up Lake Lillian, and the Christmas Parade. He fondly remembers performing skits at the water tower stage by Lake Lillian. In one skit, “Where is Paw,” he sat on a toilet with his pants down, wearing a straw hat and glasses, reading the Voice of South Marion—much to the crowd’s amusement. Virginia was equally active, helping with Chamber events and marking booth spaces for years. The couple has also played Mr. and Mrs. Claus in the Christmas parade for the last 13 years.
Jim later served as president of the Belleview Rotary in 2007 and 2008, and he’s still a fixture at local events, manning the grill in the Rotary wagon. He is also a member of both the American Legion and the VFW. Virginia currently sits on the board of Shepherd’s Lighthouse and has been a board member since 2003. Diamond H even did AC duct work for Shepherd’s Lighthouse during a remodel to add bedrooms. Virginia became involved with the Lighthouse thrift store, picking up donations and helping out when needed. “Seeing how far the women progress while they’re here is what I love most about being part of the Lighthouse,” said Virginia. She also volunteers at the American Legion every Wednesday, working the grill during BINGO, and serves as treasurer for the Auxiliary, having previously served as secretary. “The ladies in the Auxiliary are like a big family and so much fun to be around,” she said.
In 2006, Jim was diagnosed with cancer and sold his business. He credits Dr. Carter Perkins, his dentist, with saving his life after noticing something unusual in Jim’s throat and referring him to a specialist the same day. Jim beat cancer and now helps spread awareness by participating in Relay for Life.
At the age of 51, Jim took up racing and still competes in the Whelen All-American Series today. His love for racing developed later in life after sponsoring his good friend, Wolf Bower, on a race team. Jim bought Bower a fire suit with the Diamond H logo on it, and soon Jim and Virginia began attending races regularly. One day, Jim had the chance to take a car for some hot laps at Ocala Speedway. He was hooked and bought a car a few months later. His first car earned the nickname “Timex” because it “took a licking and kept on ticking.” Jim eventually moved up from the sportsman division to the faster sportsman limited late model, and now he races in the open-wheel modified class, which features some of the fastest cars in the state.
