Cecil C Bigelow

Mankato Mortuary
388-2202

Cecil Carl Bigelow, retired MSU Professor of Business, of Mankato passed away at the age of 90 on Monday, December 26, 2011 at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital, Mankato.

Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday January 9, 2012 at Centenary United Methodist Church, Mankato. Visitation will be from 2-4 p.m., Sunday at Mankato Mortuary and will continue one hour before service at church on Monday. Burial will be in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis. Memorials may be given to an organization of the donor's choice.

Cecil was born June 11, 1921 to Carl Chesley and Nettie Alice (MacAdams) Bigelow in Stockton, Minnesota. He attended Hamline University where he played football and was a swimming champion. Following graduation from Hamline he served in the US Navy during World War II and commanded an LST, landing at Utah Beach on D-Day. He was united in marriage to Dorothy Ann Papich on March 3, 1945 in Minneapolis. Cecil and Dorothy lived in San Francisco, CA, Lake Bronson, MN, and Burlington IA, before moving to Mankato in 1953, where he began a 38-year career teaching Business at Mankato State Teachers College. During his first few summers in Mankato Cecil attended graduate school in Wyoming, completing a Doctorate of Education in 1956. Starting in the 1970s he regularly took groups of students to visit the New York Financial district in December, and later on he began organizing student trips to Spain, where he taught courses during winter quarter. He was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church, the American Legion, and the Exchange Club where he had served as Minnesota District President and Division 1 Director. "Cec" and Dorothy had an active social life together, enjoying traveling, bowling and dancing. Following his retirement in 1991 their travels included return visits to Spain and memorable trips to view the Rose Bowl Parade and the St. Patricks Day Parade in Dublin. Cecil loved teaching and was proud of the accomplishments of his students. He enjoyed fishing trips with friends and spending time with his family.

Cecil is survived by three children, Robert (Joan) Bigelow of Hockessin, DE, Janine (Jeremiah) Bumgarner of Mt. Pleasant, SC and Mary Bigelow of Ham Lake, MN; six grandchildren, Jamie Crandell, Christy Bigelow, Josh, Jacob, and Eli Steinbauer, and Richard Terry; great-grandson, Jack Crandell; nieces, Mary Ellen Jones of Champagne, IL and Carol Ann Nelson Valentine of Overland Park, KS; and nephews, Vernon Keith of Belvidere, IL, Norman Nelson of Oklahoma City, OK, Jerry Nelson of Safford, AZ, and Donald Nelson of Sioux City, IA; and dog Angel, his faithful companion for 10 years.

Cecil was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Dorothy on March 19, 2011; four sisters, Leila Nelson, Lenore Keith, Ida Bigelow, Iva Bigelow; brother, Harold Bigelow; and nephews, Charles Keith and Lee Nelson.