Marie Bigelow

Marie Bigelow, age 93 of Nashua, IA, died Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at her home surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at the United Methodist Church in Nashua with Rev. Sarah Namukose presiding. Friends may greet the family 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Monday, March 7, 2022, at the Hugeback Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory - Olson Chapel in Nashua. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Marie was born on May 2, 1928, to Jerry and Daisy (Snow) Stewart in the central Illinois town of Hillsboro, and her family moved to Iowa when she was young. Her parents farmed near Blairsburg, and Marie joined her siblings in helping them with various chores on the farm. She was an excellent student at Blairsburg High School, and after graduating, she attended Iowa State Teachers College, which is now the University of Northern Iowa, where she studied to be a teacher. Marie taught for four years at schools in and around Blairsburg, Kamrar, Stanhope, and Floyd. While attending college, she met Bert Bigelow, and he was a persistent fellow who finally won Marie over. They began dating, fell in love, and were married on June 23, 1951, and they settled in Bert’s hometown of Nashua. The couple had four boys — twins James and Jerry, Rodney and Michael — and they had a marvelous mother; in fact, their friends often told the Bigelow boys that “they wished their mom was like our mother” because she was so kind and caring, an excellent cook and the kind of person who always would lend an ear to those who needed some advice or just a good conversation. Marie was a Cub Scout den mother, an outstanding crocheter, and a Bible School teacher who touched the lives of not only her boys but scores of Nashua residents. The loss of her husband 26 years ago was a terrible blow to Marie, but she persevered and remained active in so many ways. She and her friends would go to garage sales, not so much to buy things but to get crafting ideas! Wednesdays were reserved for her Bible Study group, and if it was a Friday, Marie was playing cards with her friends. She was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church in Nashua, where she was active in the United Methodist Women and in the church’s Mentorship Program. Marie adored her eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren and loved spending time playing games with them. This remarkable woman lived a long and full life, and maybe her sons put it best when they said “we were pretty lucky to have the mom we had.” And, so too, were her friends, her church, and community, for she epitomized caring and kindness to all who knew her, and while they will mourn her loss, they know she is at home and reunited with Bert today. Marie is survived by her four sons, Jerry (Ann) Bigelow of Round Rock, Texas, James (Remy) Bigelow of Bellevue, Nebraska, Rodney (Doralyn) Bigelow of Nashua, and Michael (Deb) Bigelow of Forest City; eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Margaret Mumm of Reinbeck. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bert; two brothers, Lewis and Harry Stewart; and two sisters, Mildred and Mabel Stewart.