Harvey D. Bigelow Sr., 80, a lifelong resident of Southborough, died Saturday, March 3, 2012, after a period of declining health. He was the devoted and loving husband of Elizabeth Betty (Murray) Bigelow for the past 54 years.
Born in Framingham, he was the son of the late Francis and Mae Bigelow. Harvey attended Southborough Public Schools and the former Worcester Boys Trade School. He was president and co-owner of the former E.C. Murray Construction Company of Framingham and a member of Massachusetts Laborers Union Local 609 for 48 years. Harvey served on the Southborough Cemetery Commission, Public Works Planning Board, Southborough School Committee, and was a Southborough Auxiliary Police Officer. He was a past president and longtime member of the Southborough Snowmobile Club, and took many trips to the Balsams in Dixville Notch, N.H., to snowmobile with family and friends. He was instrumental in the building of Margaret Neary Elementary School in Southborough where his children and many of his grandchildren attended.
Harvey enjoyed attending his grandchildrens school and sporting events, woodworking, traveling in his RV to spend winters in Naples, Fla., the fall to Amish Country in Pennsylvania, and the summers touring the shores of New Hampshire and Maine, and numerous other states. He enjoyed farming, golfing, collecting trains, matchboxes and toy trucks. Harvey looked forward to Thursday morning coffee with the gang in Framingham and afternoon coffee with the gang in Southborough. Most of all, Harvey enjoyed cruising around on his John Deere tractor.
He was the loving and proud father of his four children, Harvey Bigelow Jr. and his wife, Paula, of Taunton, Donna Sergi and her husband, Rob, Susan Bigelow, Beth and Steve Courtwright, all of Southborough. He was the loving and proud grandfather, known as Papa, to his 13 grandchildren, Danny, Brian, Michelle and Erica Bigelow of Taunton, Jillian and Kayla Sergi, Kelley, Kevin,Tommy and Sean Walsh, and Allie, Ryan and Drew Courtwright, all of Southborough. He also leaves his sister, Viola Laptewicz of Southborough; was the brother-in-law of June Johnson of Framingham; and many nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours are Monday, March 5, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the Morris Funeral Home, 40 Main St., Southborough. A funeral home service will be held Tuesday, March 6, at 10:30 a.m., at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Southborough Rural Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be sent in his memory to the Southborough Youth and Family Services, Town House, 17 Common St., Southborough, MA 01772. To send words of condolence to the family, please go to Morrisfuneralparlor.com.
(Obituary courtesy of Morris Funeral Home)
