Kenneth Dewain Bigler

Born April 24, 1926 in Collinston, Utah to Lawrence Odell and Chloe Juanita Loveland Bigler, he married Joan Foster on January 26, 1949 in the Beaver Dam, UT LDS church. They were married for 68 years until her death in 2017. An active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on August 25, 1966, he and Joan and their five children were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.

Ken graduated from Bear River High School in northern Utah in 1943, then enlisted at age 17 in the U.S. Navy where he was training as a pilot when WWII ended. He attended Utah State University and earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1948. He enjoyed a successful career as a civil engineer with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service in Utah, and following a family move to Arizona in 1950, with the Maricopa County Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Civil Service at Williams Air Force Base, and the City of Scottsdale where he retired in 2003.

Ken enjoyed many hobbies, including golf, baseball, softball, hunting, fishing and photography. He documented the history of his life well, as he always had a camera and ensured that photos were taken of all family events.

He remained active in retirement, golfing with close friends at least weekly, writing books about his life and organizing his many photographs for the enjoyment of family and friends. He cared for Joan lovingly, and visited her every day of her last three years residency in a senior living home before her death from Alzheimer’s disease.

Ken is preceded in death by Joan, his parents, brothers Gordon Odell Bigler and Charles Eugene Bigler, and daughter-in-law Sandra Bigler. He is survived by children Stephen (Rebecca); Kathleen Taylor (David); Daniel; LeRon; and James, all of Arizona; eleven grandchildren; and fifteen great-grandchildren. The family expresses special thanks to the nurses, aides and staff of the Gardens of Scottsdale in Scottsdale, AZ and Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix, AZ who provided wonderful service of comfort and support to Ken and the family.

Services will be held graveside at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, December 21, 2020 at the Green Acres Cemetery, 401 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale, AZ. A viewing for family and friends will be held at the same location prior to the service at 11:00 a.m.