Elwood Bailey Bigelow Jr.

Elwood Bailey Bigelow Jr., 86
PORTLAND -- Elwood Bailey Bigelow Jr. ('Woody'), 86, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 14, 2014, after a brief illness. Woody was born on May 15, 1928, at St. Barnabus Hospital in Portland. He was the only child of Elwood Bailey Bigelow Sr. and Violet M. Greely (Brown). Woody grew up in and had fond memories of Portland's West End, attending Vaughn Street and Butler schools. In 1946, he graduated from Portland High School where he was an active member of the 'Totem' yearbook staff, serving as co-editor. This experience would serve as the catalyst for his lifelong newspaper career.
Woody attended the University of Maine at Orono, where he pursued his passion and earned a degree in journalism. There he served as an editor of The Campus, the university student newspaper. His love of sports continued as he loyally attended all Black Bear events and after his graduation in 1950, he followed his alma mater throughout his life.
Woody's 40 year career in journalism began in 1950 at the Lewiston Daily Sun, where he worked in the newsroom. While there, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in November of 1950. After basic training at Camp Rucker in Alabama and Camp Polk in Louisiana, he served his country in the Korean Conflict as a member of the Service Battery, 424th Field Artillery Battalion, where he earned a citation for meritorious service.
At the conclusion of the war he resumed his journalism career at the Bangor Daily News as both a sports writer, covering high school and college events, and as a telegraph editor. Woody married his high school sweetheart, Edith C. Libby at the First Universalist Church in Portland on June 20, 1953. While living in Bangor, he began working for the Guy Gannett Publishing Company by serving as a district reporter for the Maine Sunday Telegram, traveling throughout Maine to capture human-interest stories. This was a job he was born for and he loved this work. During their stay in Bangor, Woody and Edith started their family and their daughters Deborah and Wendy were born.
Woody moved his family to Cape Elizabeth in 1961, when he began work for the Portland Press Herald as a sports writer. While at the PPH, his career included being the feature section editor for the Maine Sunday Telegram and copy editor for the Portland Evening Express. He was equally as passionate about his involvement with the Portland Newspaper Guild, of which he was vice-president and then president for many years. He also was a two-term board member of The Newspaper Guild, serving as vice president of the international executive board for which he traveled frequently to Washington, D.C.
Woody loved the nature of his work as well as his many
Elwood Bailey
Bigelow Jr.
Jones, Rich & Hutchins
Funeral Home & Cremation Service
775-3763
colleagues at the paper. His retirement in 1990 coincided with the folding of The Evening Express. Besides his devotion to his family and work, he was a lover of history, politics (a steadfast Democrat), jazz and classical music, and travel. He was a voracious reader and he and Edith traveled to many places during their 61-year marriage. Woody was a member of the First Congregational Church in South Portland for 35 years, and served two terms there as deacon.
Woody's love of the Red Sox was sparked by his boyhood hero, Ted Williams, whom he would later meet while working for the Bangor Daily News. His passion for sports extended to the Celtics, Patriots, and Bruins, as well as to his grandchildren's teams as he loyally attended many of their games and meets.
Most of all, Woody will be remembered by all who knew and loved him as a man of integrity and a true gentleman. He was at his best when it came to all forms of discussion, debate, or conversation, where he was always front and center. His acumen for advancing his opinion, keen perspective and insight was always topped off by a famous quote or witticism or both. His clever and very dry sense of humor and thoughtful timing and delivery were impeccable and always left people laughing and smiling. Replacing this will be impossible; remembering him for this will be easy.
Woody was predeceased by his parents; and by his grandson, Sean M. Casey. He is survived by and will be forever missed and loved by his wife Edith; daughter Deborah B. Casey and her husband John, daughter Wendy E. Tait and her husband Bryon, all of Cape Elizabeth; and his grandchildren, Conor J. Casey and Courtney E. Tait of Cape Elizabeth, and Justin J. Tait and his fiancee Krysten A. Neilley of Charlestown, Mass.
The family would like to express their gratitude to the caring staff of R4 at the Maine Medical Center, particularly Dr. Silvia, Meg Campbell, Jackie, Laurie, Kari, and Louise, as well as Lisa and Marin from Coastal Rehab.
Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service on Monday, June 23, 2014, at 10 a.m., at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St., Portland, with the Rev. Philip Shearman officiating. Interment will follow the service at Riverside Cemetery in Cape Elizabeth. Please visit www.jonesrichandhutchins.com for additional information and to sign Woody's online guestbook.
In lieu of flowers, memorial
donations may be made to:
The Sean M. Casey Scholarship fund, City Hall
389 Congress St., Room 104
(Attn.: Lee Wright)
Portland, Maine 04101