Lydia Tilden Bigelow's Obituary
Lydia Tilden Bigelow was born in Florida on June 4, 1923 and died on her birthday June 4, 2015 at the age of 92. She married Gordon Bigelow during WWII in 1944 when he was a pilot in the Army Air Corps. Lydia and Gordon were married for 62 years until Gordon’s death in 2008. They had four children – Susan Bigelow Mauney of Southport, NC; Constance Ware of Gainesville, FL; Hal Bigelow of Saratoga Springs, NY; Mark Bigelow of Pleasant Hill, CA. They were grandparents to seven and great-grandparents to five. As a young woman growing up in Florida Lydia was expert in tennis, golf, swimming, and fishing. Later she was a homemaker, photographer, and oil painter. In 1950 Lydia and Gordon settled permanently in Gainesville and enjoyed their many friends in the Department of Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida. In 1961 the family spent a year in Vienna, Austria, an experience that led to many funny family stories, inside jokes, and catch phrases for the next five decades. Friends of Lydia will be invited to a commemoration at a later date.
What’s your fondest memory of Lydia?
What’s a lesson you learned from Lydia?
Share a story where Lydia's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Lydia you’ll never forget.
How did Lydia make you smile?