Thomas Bigler Obituary

T homas Arlington Bigler, 85, of Edwardsville, died Friday morning in Heritage House Hospice, where he had spent his final days surrounded by family and friends.
Born in Terentum, Pa., June 4, 1921, he was the eldest son of Francis Arlington Bigler and Katherine Florilla (Black) Bigler.
He graduated from high school in Hazleton in 1939 and studied at Ithaca College from 1939-41. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Wilkes University in 1993.
Mr. Bigler began his broadcasting career during the summers of 1939-41, when he was a part-time announcer for WAZL radio in Hazleton.
In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (ATC) where he spent most of his World War II service flying over India and Indochina. When he returned to the United States, he resumed his broadcasting career serving several radio stations as announcer and news director.
In 1948, he became news director for WILK-AM radio, and added program director to his title in 1953. In that same year, he helped WILK radio transition to television, and he remained the television station’s news director until 1962. From 1962-1966, he served as news director for WNEP-TV, and in 1966, he became news director and vice president for news and public affairs at WBRE-TV, where he remained for two decades until he retired from full-time broadcasting in 1986.
During his tenure at WBRE, he led the station through a variety of major technological changes, as well as many major stories including the Agnes flood of 1972. He was especially well known for his daily on-air editorials.
Upon his retirement from broadcasting in 1986, he became a regular columnist for the Times Leader, and endowed chair of the communications department at Wilkes University where he taught a variety of journalism courses including basic and advanced news writing, editorial writing, ethics and First Amendment law.
As endowed chair, he also advised the student newspaper, The Beacon, and helped establish Wilkes University’s Thomas Shelburne Telecommunication Studio, a state-of-the-art television broadcasting center.
He retired from full-time teaching at Wilkes in 2001, at which point he became Professor Emeritus.
He was an active community leader serving on numerous boards of directors including: the Osterhout Free Public Library, Family Service Association, the Wilkes-Barre Association for the Blind, Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, Wilkes-Barre Human Relations Commission, Wyoming Valley Historical and Geological Society, Ethics Institute of NEPA and the League of Women Voters.
In addition, he was co-founder and served on the Board of Leadership Wilkes-Barre.
He was an active member of B’Nai B’rith Temple, Torch Club, NAACP and the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters Association, for which he served as president from 1965-66.
In addition, he received a variety of awards for work and service including: an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from King’s College (1983); the Silverblatt Award (1970); Distinguished Citizen Award from the City of Wilkes-Barre (1995); Ethics Institute of NEPA Achievement Award (1995); Family Service Association Community Service Award (1999) and Jewish Family Service Community Service Award (2005).
In 2001, Wilkes University established an annual award for graduating seniors in journalism who embody the ideals of journalism in accuracy, fairness and good ethics, which is what he stood for.
He is survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Hal C. and Maggie Bigler of San Francisco.; stepsister, Mary Lou Eveland, and stepbrother, Jay Spare, both of Hazleton; nieces: Carol Bigler Howes of Dallas, Pa.; Andria Sparks of Oakland, Calif., and Melinda Bigler of Pacifica, Calif.; and nephews: Frank Bigler of Sweet Valley, Pa.; Jeffrey Bigler of Hawaii; Tim Bigler of Virginia and Dan Robertson of San Diego.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brothers Vann E. Bigler and Bruce T. Bigler.
Private gravesite services will be held at Temple B’Nai B’rith cemetery.
A public memorial service will also be held at Wilkes University’s Henry Student Center Grand Ballroom, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Monday, March 5, at 1 p.m.
Memorial donations may be sent to either the Tom Bigler Scholar Fund at Wilkes University or the Osterhout Free Public Library.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Times Leader on Mar. 3, 2007.

Memories and Condolences
for Thomas Bigler

9 Entries

Wini Findon

March 14, 2007

I worked at WBRE-TV from 1967-1972 in the promotion department. I typed Tom's editorials daily and as many errors as I made, he never said a word. He was patient and kind. A pioneer in broadcasting with a conscience. My thoughts are with his family.

Rebecca Bria

March 8, 2007

I only had the chance to meet Mr. Bigler once at Wilkes, right before he became ill. Nevertheless, I was honored to write his biography for the Communication Studies Department newsletter. I found Tom's character, volunteerism, and career ethic to be very admirable. Tom will be sadly missed by all of his students, co-workers, and friends at Wilkes.

Michael Beachem

March 7, 2007

I was quite sad to learn today of Dr. Bigler's passing. He was one of my professors during my undergraduate years. I learned a lot from him. His high standard of ethics, his humour, his deep - strong voice of conviction, his editorials - there are so many things that will be missed. I am so glad I was able to see him one last time at a departmental reunion in 2002. My prayers are with his family and friends.

Patrick Cloonan

March 5, 2007

Requiescat in pacem.

Don Berman

March 3, 2007

My sincere condolences to the family of Tom Bigler. He was a true gentleman and he was meticulous in the time he took to compose his editorials. He was very smart. I worked in production at WBRE-TV in the summers of 1966, 1967, and 1969 during the summers of my college years. I'll never forget working with Tom. I learned so much from him. He was always on top of the news. He knew everyone. I remember Tom Bigler's passion for getting a good news story on the air, particularly in July, 1969, when I was a news film editor at WBRE-TV and Senator Ted Kennedy came to Wyoming Valley in his first public appearance, for the funeral of Mary Jo Kopechne following the Chappaquidick incident. The film was late getting out of the film processor, still somewhat wet, and I had to edit the film very quickly for the 6PM News as Tom Bigler calmly directed me to "cut this piece, save that piece", etc. as we feverishly worked to get the footage edited to go on the air. We got it done, and I saved for years Tom's hand written notes on that story.Tom was good, real good. His kind don't exist any longer.

Patricia (Hyzinski) Chace

March 3, 2007

Tom was the Best Man at my parent's wedding. He was a dear friend of our family, and I have many happy memories of him, both as a child and in my adult life. No matter what the topic of discussion, he always helped me to see another point of view. He will be sadly missed. My prayers and condolences.

Gretchen

March 3, 2007

Mr. Bigler - it's Gretchen. I'll miss not seeing or chatting with you as you walk by the "Y"! What a sad day...there aren't even a handful of GENTLEMEN left to touch our lives as you did. I was blessed in many ways to have known you. My deepest sympathies to all of your family...

Ann Marsilio Potts

March 3, 2007

Tom Bigler was of the highest calibre of newsman. We were fortunate to have him our viewing area because rightfully, he was on the national news level. I did not realize he had graduated from my home town of Hazleton. My condolences to the Bigler family, their loss is shared by all of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Mary Jo

March 3, 2007

Tom Bigler will be remebered as A GENTLEMAN....He will be in my prayers. God Bless

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