Southborough – 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, the son of the late Francis and Mae Bigelow, he attended Southborough Public Schools and the former Worcester Boys Trade School.
Mr. Bigelow 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. He served on the Southborough Cemetery Commission, Public Works Planning Board, and 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 with the building of Margaret Neary Elementary School in Southborough, where his children and many of his grandchildren attended.
Mr. Bigelow enjoyed attending his grandchildren's school and sporting events, woodworking, traveling in his RV to spend winters in Naples, Florida; 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. He looked forward to Thursday morning coffee with the gang in Framingham and afternoon coffee with the gang in Southborough.
Most of all, he 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; and 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; his sister-in-law, June Johnson of Framingham; and many nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be held Monday, March 5, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the Morris Funeral Home, 40 Main St. (Route 30), Southborough. A funeral home service will be held Tuesday, March 6, at 10:30 a.m., at the funeral home. Burial will follow in the 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, visit www.morrisfuneralparlor.com.
