1915
Marjorie
2008
Marjorie Cleta Bigelow
October 14, 1915 — February 28, 2008
Marjorie Bigelow, 92, of Waukon, IA, died Thursday, February 28, 2008 at Thornton Manor in Lansing, IA. Funeral services will be held Monday, March 3rd at 11:00 am at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Daniel Knipper officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 3:00 to 7:00 pm Sunday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a scripture service at 3:00 pm and a VFW Auxiliary memorial service at 4:30 pm.
Marjorie Cleta Guider Bigelow was born on October 14, 1915 on the Allamakee County, rural Lansing, IA farm of her parents, Matthew and Margaret (Thornton) Guider. She was baptized and confirmed at Immaculate Conception Wexford Church. Marge graduated from Lansing High School in 1933 after taking the Normal Training curriculum and began a long teaching career, first in rural schools in the Lansing/Waukon area and later at East Elementary in Waukon. On October 4, 1937 she married Thomas Lafayette Bigelow at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing. In spite of her already busy schedule as a mother and teacher, she found time over the years to continue her education at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, IA, until graduating from there in 1971.
Marge was an active lady all of her life. Her memberships included the VFW Auxiliary, Veterans Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Upper Iowa University Alumni Association, St. Patrick's Ladies Group, New Century Club and the Waukon Golf and Country Club. She loved children, making her career in teaching a perfect fit, and she was very fond of visiting or hearing from her former students. Marge also enjoyed keeping up with what was going on in the lives of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Faith was important to her and she considered herself lucky to be able to attend Mass almost every day. Playing golf several times a week, getting together with friends for coffee and cards, challenging herself with crossword puzzles and TV game shows and doing crafts were other favorite pastimes for her. She also enjoyed going for rides through the countryside where she grew up.
Survivors include her 4 children, Tom (Yolanda) of Mountain Grove, MO, Bert (Carolyn) of Grasonville, MD, Ann (Bob) White of Iowa Falls, IA and Bea (Terry) Strope of Appleton, WI; her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Drs. Robert/Kristin White, Allison & Alex of Mason City, Barbara/Joseph Blake, Leah & Brady of Indianola, David White of Urbandale, Michael/Anne White, Sidney Jane of Chelsea, MI, Andrew/Jenny Stelow, Lauren and Cindy/Rick Nadke, Josh, Jordan & Jacob, all of Appleton, WI, Lori/Len Bacon, Nick & Brianna of Oregon City, OR and Stacie/Barry Cain, Madison & Dalton of Edgewater, MD; a sister, Genevieve Wild of Lansing, IA; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bill Thomson and Jeanette Bigelow, both of Waukon; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband Tom, who died in 1982; a son, Kenneth; 3 grandchildren, Nancy & Matthew White and Sam Strope; and 3 sisters, Lucille Brazell, Catherine Betthauser and Ann Thomson.
Honorary casketbearers are John & Lorna Kerndt, LeRoy & Marcella McCabe, Jan & Lorraine Sweeney, Rupert & Martha Caballero, Wilbur & Shirley Rose, Cod & Betty Brandt, Walter & Gloria Larson, Genevieve Wild, Harriet Duggan, Bill Thomson and Jeanette Bigelow. Casketbearers are her grandchildren.
Marjorie Cleta Guider Bigelow was born on October 14, 1915 on the Allamakee County, rural Lansing, IA farm of her parents, Matthew and Margaret (Thornton) Guider. She was baptized and confirmed at Immaculate Conception Wexford Church. Marge graduated from Lansing High School in 1933 after taking the Normal Training curriculum and began a long teaching career, first in rural schools in the Lansing/Waukon area and later at East Elementary in Waukon. On October 4, 1937 she married Thomas Lafayette Bigelow at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing. In spite of her already busy schedule as a mother and teacher, she found time over the years to continue her education at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, IA, until graduating from there in 1971.
Marge was an active lady all of her life. Her memberships included the VFW Auxiliary, Veterans Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Upper Iowa University Alumni Association, St. Patrick's Ladies Group, New Century Club and the Waukon Golf and Country Club. She loved children, making her career in teaching a perfect fit, and she was very fond of visiting or hearing from her former students. Marge also enjoyed keeping up with what was going on in the lives of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Faith was important to her and she considered herself lucky to be able to attend Mass almost every day. Playing golf several times a week, getting together with friends for coffee and cards, challenging herself with crossword puzzles and TV game shows and doing crafts were other favorite pastimes for her. She also enjoyed going for rides through the countryside where she grew up.
Survivors include her 4 children, Tom (Yolanda) of Mountain Grove, MO, Bert (Carolyn) of Grasonville, MD, Ann (Bob) White of Iowa Falls, IA and Bea (Terry) Strope of Appleton, WI; her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Drs. Robert/Kristin White, Allison & Alex of Mason City, Barbara/Joseph Blake, Leah & Brady of Indianola, David White of Urbandale, Michael/Anne White, Sidney Jane of Chelsea, MI, Andrew/Jenny Stelow, Lauren and Cindy/Rick Nadke, Josh, Jordan & Jacob, all of Appleton, WI, Lori/Len Bacon, Nick & Brianna of Oregon City, OR and Stacie/Barry Cain, Madison & Dalton of Edgewater, MD; a sister, Genevieve Wild of Lansing, IA; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bill Thomson and Jeanette Bigelow, both of Waukon; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband Tom, who died in 1982; a son, Kenneth; 3 grandchildren, Nancy & Matthew White and Sam Strope; and 3 sisters, Lucille Brazell, Catherine Betthauser and Ann Thomson.
Honorary casketbearers are John & Lorna Kerndt, LeRoy & Marcella McCabe, Jan & Lorraine Sweeney, Rupert & Martha Caballero, Wilbur & Shirley Rose, Cod & Betty Brandt, Walter & Gloria Larson, Genevieve Wild, Harriet Duggan, Bill Thomson and Jeanette Bigelow. Casketbearers are her grandchildren.
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