Richard Bigler

Richard 'Dick' BIGLER A truly great man passed away peacefully on March 17th, 2011 with his family by his side. He was born on November 14, 1915 in Neoga, IL to Dr. Chester A. Bigler and Ruth DeVore. After graduating from Neoga High School he went to attend Stanford University where he became a basketball star on a championship college team, the Stanford Indians. He graduated with a BA in History and Business, and returned to Illinois to help his father run his Ford Auto Dealership. WWII came and Richard joined the US Army and became Captain of the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team in Europe. It was during training and on leave in North Carolina that he met and married the love of his life, Mary Lou Bass, of Concord, NC. After the war, Richard and his new wife returned to Stanford University where he received his MBA and Masters in Economics, and his first son, Kenneth Lee was born. After graduation, the family moved to Seattle where he eventually took a job in sales for National Cash Register. Several years later he formed his own insurance bookkeeping service, and later started Northern Investors Premium Finance Co. where he worked until his retirement. Richard was preceded in death in June, 2009 by Mary Lou, his loving wife of 65 years. He is survived by his sons, Kenneth 'Ken' Bigler (Elin), Steven Bigler, and Richard 'Rick' Bigler (Theresa); grandchildren, Bryan Bigler (Mona), Erika Chynoweth (Vic), Stephanie Burell (Matt), Cheryl Diegel (Jeramiah), Melissa Bigler, and Jeffrey Bigler; great-grandchildren, Bailee and Karlee Chynoweth, & Jacob Burell; numerous nieces and nephews. A special thanks to the loving staff of Sunrise, Edmonds where he resided. We will miss his advice, great stories, his funny jokes, his charm and wit; not to mention his infectious smile. He will forever be in our hearts. Funeral Service will be held Friday, March 25th at 12:30 p.m. at Hoffner Fisher & Harvey Chapel 508 N 36th St, Seattle 98103.