Former pilot always wished he were flying
Jack L. Bigsby spent more than 30 years working in a medical lab, but part of him always longed to be in space. As a young Air Force pilot in the early '60s, he applied for NASA's Apollo space program. He was accepted on a preliminary basis, but an inner-ear problem cut short his flying and space career.
Friends said he loved the outdoors, animals and children. He was easygoing and generally cheerful, and he enjoyed a good joke.
Mr. Bigsby died July 31 at age 66.
He was born May 9, 1939, in Ionia, Mich. The Air Force brought him to Fort Worth, where he lived most of his adult life. He graduated from Texas Christian University in 1969 with a degree in biology and went to work in the laboratory at John Peter Smith Hospital.
Gary Barrett, a neighbor and longtime friend, said Mr. Bigsby sometimes appeared to be a contradiction. He was very private, yet outgoing. Mr. Bigsby's interests were wide-ranging. He enjoyed reading Westerns and philosophy, and his tastes in music ranged from German opera to Willie Nelson. He liked dogs and cats.
Barrett said a favorite pastime of Mr. Bigsby was hiking in the woods and photographing nature.
Mr. Bigsby married twice, and both marriages ended in divorce.
He retired from JPS Health Network as a laboratory supervisor in May 2002. Phillip Valley, director of the JPS lab, said: "He was a wonderful, light-spirited, people-focused kind of guy. He cared about others, and he gave more to the world than he took out." Valley said that although Mr. Bigsby was a highly competent professional at the lab, a part of him was still flying. "I think he never found anything to which he could totally commit himself," Valley said. "Out of the Air Force, he was forever adrift."
Survivors include a son, Brent Bigsby of San Diego, sister Alma Barr of Muir, Mich., and extended-family members.
A celebration of life will be Thursday at Moore Funeral Home, 4216 S. Bowen Road, Arlington. Burial will be in Ionia, Mich.
-Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - Wednesday, August 10, 2005
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He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude Elmer and Edith Pauline Dregor Bigsby; two brothers; and one sister.
Survivors: Son, Brent Bigsby and wife, Marcia, of San Diego, Calif.; sister, Alma Barr and husband, Don, of Muir, Mich.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
-Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - Tuesday, August 9, 2005
Jack L. Bigsby spent more than 30 years working in a medical lab, but part of him always longed to be in space. As a young Air Force pilot in the early '60s, he applied for NASA's Apollo space program. He was accepted on a preliminary basis, but an inner-ear problem cut short his flying and space career.
Friends said he loved the outdoors, animals and children. He was easygoing and generally cheerful, and he enjoyed a good joke.
Mr. Bigsby died July 31 at age 66.
He was born May 9, 1939, in Ionia, Mich. The Air Force brought him to Fort Worth, where he lived most of his adult life. He graduated from Texas Christian University in 1969 with a degree in biology and went to work in the laboratory at John Peter Smith Hospital.
Gary Barrett, a neighbor and longtime friend, said Mr. Bigsby sometimes appeared to be a contradiction. He was very private, yet outgoing. Mr. Bigsby's interests were wide-ranging. He enjoyed reading Westerns and philosophy, and his tastes in music ranged from German opera to Willie Nelson. He liked dogs and cats.
Barrett said a favorite pastime of Mr. Bigsby was hiking in the woods and photographing nature.
Mr. Bigsby married twice, and both marriages ended in divorce.
He retired from JPS Health Network as a laboratory supervisor in May 2002. Phillip Valley, director of the JPS lab, said: "He was a wonderful, light-spirited, people-focused kind of guy. He cared about others, and he gave more to the world than he took out." Valley said that although Mr. Bigsby was a highly competent professional at the lab, a part of him was still flying. "I think he never found anything to which he could totally commit himself," Valley said. "Out of the Air Force, he was forever adrift."
Survivors include a son, Brent Bigsby of San Diego, sister Alma Barr of Muir, Mich., and extended-family members.
A celebration of life will be Thursday at Moore Funeral Home, 4216 S. Bowen Road, Arlington. Burial will be in Ionia, Mich.
-Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - Wednesday, August 10, 2005
...................
He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude Elmer and Edith Pauline Dregor Bigsby; two brothers; and one sister.
Survivors: Son, Brent Bigsby and wife, Marcia, of San Diego, Calif.; sister, Alma Barr and husband, Don, of Muir, Mich.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
-Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - Tuesday, August 9, 2005
Former pilot always wished he were flying
Jack L. Bigsby spent more than 30 years working in a medical lab, but part of him always longed to be in space. As a young Air Force pilot in the early '60s, he applied for NASA's Apollo space program. He was accepted on a preliminary basis, but an inner-ear problem cut short his flying and space career.
Friends said he loved the outdoors, animals and children. He was easygoing and generally cheerful, and he enjoyed a good joke.
Mr. Bigsby died July 31 at age 66.
He was born May 9, 1939, in Ionia, Mich. The Air Force brought him to Fort Worth, where he lived most of his adult life. He graduated from Texas Christian University in 1969 with a degree in biology and went to work in the laboratory at John Peter Smith Hospital.
Gary Barrett, a neighbor and longtime friend, said Mr. Bigsby sometimes appeared to be a contradiction. He was very private, yet outgoing. Mr. Bigsby's interests were wide-ranging. He enjoyed reading Westerns and philosophy, and his tastes in music ranged from German opera to Willie Nelson. He liked dogs and cats.
Barrett said a favorite pastime of Mr. Bigsby was hiking in the woods and photographing nature.
Mr. Bigsby married twice, and both marriages ended in divorce.
He retired from JPS Health Network as a laboratory supervisor in May 2002. Phillip Valley, director of the JPS lab, said: "He was a wonderful, light-spirited, people-focused kind of guy. He cared about others, and he gave more to the world than he took out." Valley said that although Mr. Bigsby was a highly competent professional at the lab, a part of him was still flying. "I think he never found anything to which he could totally commit himself," Valley said. "Out of the Air Force, he was forever adrift."
Survivors include a son, Brent Bigsby of San Diego, sister Alma Barr of Muir, Mich., and extended-family members.
A celebration of life will be Thursday at Moore Funeral Home, 4216 S. Bowen Road, Arlington. Burial will be in Ionia, Mich.
-Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - Wednesday, August 10, 2005
...................
He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude Elmer and Edith Pauline Dregor Bigsby; two brothers; and one sister.
Survivors: Son, Brent Bigsby and wife, Marcia, of San Diego, Calif.; sister, Alma Barr and husband, Don, of Muir, Mich.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
-Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - Tuesday, August 9, 2005
Jack L. Bigsby spent more than 30 years working in a medical lab, but part of him always longed to be in space. As a young Air Force pilot in the early '60s, he applied for NASA's Apollo space program. He was accepted on a preliminary basis, but an inner-ear problem cut short his flying and space career.
Friends said he loved the outdoors, animals and children. He was easygoing and generally cheerful, and he enjoyed a good joke.
Mr. Bigsby died July 31 at age 66.
He was born May 9, 1939, in Ionia, Mich. The Air Force brought him to Fort Worth, where he lived most of his adult life. He graduated from Texas Christian University in 1969 with a degree in biology and went to work in the laboratory at John Peter Smith Hospital.
Gary Barrett, a neighbor and longtime friend, said Mr. Bigsby sometimes appeared to be a contradiction. He was very private, yet outgoing. Mr. Bigsby's interests were wide-ranging. He enjoyed reading Westerns and philosophy, and his tastes in music ranged from German opera to Willie Nelson. He liked dogs and cats.
Barrett said a favorite pastime of Mr. Bigsby was hiking in the woods and photographing nature.
Mr. Bigsby married twice, and both marriages ended in divorce.
He retired from JPS Health Network as a laboratory supervisor in May 2002. Phillip Valley, director of the JPS lab, said: "He was a wonderful, light-spirited, people-focused kind of guy. He cared about others, and he gave more to the world than he took out." Valley said that although Mr. Bigsby was a highly competent professional at the lab, a part of him was still flying. "I think he never found anything to which he could totally commit himself," Valley said. "Out of the Air Force, he was forever adrift."
Survivors include a son, Brent Bigsby of San Diego, sister Alma Barr of Muir, Mich., and extended-family members.
A celebration of life will be Thursday at Moore Funeral Home, 4216 S. Bowen Road, Arlington. Burial will be in Ionia, Mich.
-Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - Wednesday, August 10, 2005
...................
He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude Elmer and Edith Pauline Dregor Bigsby; two brothers; and one sister.
Survivors: Son, Brent Bigsby and wife, Marcia, of San Diego, Calif.; sister, Alma Barr and husband, Don, of Muir, Mich.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
-Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - Tuesday, August 9, 2005
Gravesite Details
His ashes were buried with his parents.
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