William Isaac Bigger

William Isaac Bigger, Jr., 91, passed away with his family by his side at Rex Hospital in Raleigh on Friday evening, May 10, 2024. He was a resident of Springmoor Retirement Community in Raleigh for the past 11 years.Bill was born on March 27, 1933, in his grandmother's house in Gaston County, NC to the late Mary Elizabeth Campbell Bigger and William Isaac Bigger, Sr. He was raised in Belmont, NC, where he met the love of his life, Emily, in sixth grade. At 17, Bill was a member of the United States Air Force as a Guardsman and called to active duty in the summer of 1950. He served 21 months in the Korean War before being honorably discharged and was able to attend college using his GI Bill. He married Emily Virginia Hall, the same Emily he met in school, in 1955. He graduated from North Carolina State University in 1957 with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering.Bill's education, combined with his entrepreneurial spirit, led to a long and rewarding career. He worked at firms in Charlotte, Virginia, and Raleigh before starting his own company, William I. Bigger, P. E., in Raleigh. Later, he partnered with his friend Louis "Lou" S. Agnew to establish Bigger & Agnew, Inc., Engineers. Together, they led the company to much success. Bill was appointed by Gov. Holshouser to the NC State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and enjoyed serving as Chairman in 1977. He was a member of Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity and became a Life Fellow of both the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Council of Engineering Companies. He valued his membership of the North Raleigh Rotary Club and had a perfect attendance record of 30 years. He enjoyed saltwater fishing and boating at Atlantic Beach, fishing and waterfowl hunting in Maryland and at Lake Mattamuskeet, and cherished his trips to the mountains, where he marveled at the engineering of the Blue Ridge Parkway.After retirement, Bill and Emily enjoyed numerous trips across Canada and Europe, as well as river cruises on the Rhine, Danube, and Inside Passage Alaska. Bill's favorite trip of all was to Scotland, where he visited the town of Bigger and sought to learn about his ancestors. He lit up anytime there was an opportunity to discuss lineage and family history. In his later years, Bill found peace and solace in reading, particularly English mysteries. He grew up in the Presbyterian faith and was an active member of Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church for 63 years. He served as a Deacon, was a former board member of the HMPC Foundation, and helped in the planning of the Memorial Garden.In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Ann Bigger Burton, nephew Isaac Burton, and niece Elizabeth Burton. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 68 years, Emily Hall Bigger, son Jim Bigger (Gina) of Winston-Salem, their children Paige and Will Bigger, and son John Bigger (Judy) of Lyons, CO. He has two nephews, Robert and Richard Burton, and one niece, Cara Burton.Bill was a devoted husband, father, friend, and grandfather. His two grandchildren were very special to him and brought him immense joy and laughter. He will be remembered as an honest, dependable man of integrity who was passionate about bridge and road design, had a great sense of humor, and enjoyed helping others.A celebration of his life and service of witness to the resurrection will be held for Bill at Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church, 4921 Six Forks Rd in Raleigh, on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 2:00pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the Endowment Fund of Springmoor or HMPC 4921 Six Forks Rd Raleigh, NC 27609 (HMPC Foundation Fund).Read Obituary