Marianne Bigelow

Marianne Royce Bigelow, 76, passed away in her home, surrounded by family, January 4, 2024. Marianne was born in Porterville, California in a small farming community in Central California on 24 June 1947 to Roy and Marjorie Poly. She attended Springville Union School graduating in 1964. After High School she attended Hollywood Presbyterian School of Nursing, graduating in 1968. She worked for a short period of time in the Intensive Care unit at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital until she joined the Army Nurse Corp obtaining the 2nd LT. It was her intention to go to Vietnam but plans changed when she was at Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco and SGT Donald Wiley Bigelow marched into her life. Don and Marianne were married on September 6th, 1969 at the Presidio in San Francisco, California and began a lifetime together of love, family, church, nursing career and travel. Beginning in Germany and continuing across the United States, they traveled to many places, with a new baby born in every station, except their last. Marianne joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1974 and brought her children up in the church, making sure they never missed a Sunday service or early morning bible study. She cherished her relationship with her Savior. Marianne loved being a wife and mother first and foremost. She also loved being a nurse. At every station you’d find her raising a family and working at the hospital. The only time she could not be a nurse was in Germany. She took that opportunity to take the children across the country attending volksmarches, temple trips to Switzerland and a memorable trip to Holland. Marianne loved to play the piano and played for every church ward that the family attended. She also loved sewing and somehow managed to make most of the children’s clothes in the early years. Gardening was another love of Marianne’s. The family always had a vegetable garden and her final home was an oasis of trees and flowers. She was also passionate about family history. In retirement Marianne loved to travel with Don to see her family all over the world. She made sure to attend every performance of her grandchildren that she could, from plays to sporting events and never missed a birthday. Marianne loved to serve and help others whenever she could. She always put others before herself and went out of her way to ensure everyone around her felt loved. She had the most beautiful smile and she will be forever missed. She is preceded by her parents Roy and Marjorie Poly and son Donald (Donnie) Wiley Bigelow III. She is survived by her husband, Don; daughter, Celinda and husband Damian Krings of Helena, MT; daughter, Shannon and husband Jason Pulsipher of Bolivar, MO; daughter, Marjorie and husband Shannon Rootz of Charleston, SC; son, Shawn Bigelow and wife Carrie of FT Moore, GA; daughter Heidi Newsome of Crocker, MO; son, Daniel Bigelow and wife Ramona of Paige, AZ, and son Dale Veroneau and wife Rachel of Dickinson, North Dakota. Her grandchildren, Cassandra, Cory, Evan, William, Julia, Adelaide, Darby, Anson, Samuel, Ella, Rachel, Blakely, Riley, Emiley, Harley, Mina, Ava, Eli, Xander, Keziah, Colby and Dallin. Her great grandchildren, Cadence, Nelle, Fisher, Harvey and Rina. She is survived by one younger sister Berthile and her husband John Tabor of Turlock, CA. Services for Marianne will be on Thursday, January 11, 2024 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Bolivar, Missouri, at 10:30 am. The family requests that any memorial donations be made to The Women Like Us Foundation, The St. Labre Indian School or CMH Hospice.

Marianne Bigelow

June 24, 1947 - January 4, 2024