Erma R. Bigelow

Erma Ruth Bigelow, 89, of Fountain Hills passed away July 1, 2014.

An Arizona native, Erma was the seventh of nine children born to Catherine Estella Durfee and John Reese Evans.

Erma was truly unique and one of a kind, While still at Tucson High School she trained in aviation and aeronautics, spent many hours at the airfield learning to fly and preflight plane, eventually earning her pilot’s license and satisfying her love of flying.

She loved to ride horses, camp, hunt and fish and was a crack shot with a .22 rifle, or bow and arrow.

To pay her way through school Erma worked as a life guard, rebuilt cars and while the war was on she worked for the railroad and later as a finish welder in the shipyards of California.

Returning to Arizona she majored in physical education, becoming a star tennis player and earning the “Letterwoman of the Year” award while at the University of Arizona. Erma taught at Catalina High School in Tucson. This allowed her to accomplish her dream of building a beautiful new home for her mother.

She married Harold Owen Bigelow and together they raised a family of three children. Summers were often spent in Quantico, Va. while dad served on active duty with the Marines. She shared her love of travel and history by taking her family to many Revolutionary and Civil war battlefields and church historical sites.

She twice toured the holy land with her sisters. A life-long member of the LDS Church she served in many callings including teaching, scouting as well as serving two full-time missions one to the Northern states (Minnesota) and another with her husband to the Church Family History Mission in Salt Lake City, Utah. There she became an expert Genealogist.

She moved to Fountain Hills to help her children build their house and be near her grandchildren as they grew up. How she loved her large extended family and her faith.

Erma was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, and her parents. She is survived by her children, Adrienne Larsen (Stewart), Janet Lynn Fezzey, Harold Jonathan Bigelow; grandchildren Miles Larsen (Kaelyn), Colby Larsen, Jessica Allen (Chase) Courtney Larsen, Krystal Mann, Liesl Fezzey, Amber Cooper (Mike), Katheryn Hoyt (Derrick/deceased), Hailey Fezzey and six great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held on Tuesday, July 8. Condolences may be sent to meldmort@qwestoffice.net.