John Ealy Bigelow, age 78, died peacefully in his sleep at NHC in Oak Ridge on January 21, 2008. He was born on January 28, 1929, in Hammond, Indiana, the youngest of the three sons of Charles Glenford Bigelow and Cornelia Ealy Bigelow. In 1935, the family relocated to Chicago. During his summers in high school, he attended Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana, where he developed lifelong interests in sailing and in playing in the band. John, nicknamed Jack by family and friends, decided that he would follow his brother Glen to Purdue University to study chemical engineering. While at Purdue, he continued to pursue his interest in sailing.After graduation from Purdue, John decided to pursue a graduate degree at MIT. After earning his Masters degree, he learned of a practice engineering school in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where his brother Bob was then practicing medicine. This is where he first met his future wife, Laurie Meyer. John then returned to MIT to get a PhD in chemical engineering. He and Laurie were married at First Church Congregational on Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on January 28, 1954. While still living in Massachusetts, their daughter Holly was born. Dr. Bigelow was working at the time on a consulting job. He then applied for a job in Oak Ridge, where their son Tim was born.John was asked to go to Germantown, Maryland, to work for the Atomic Energy Commission, where their son Andy was born. The family of five returned to Oak Ridge in 1960. Dr. Bigelow worked in the Chemical Technology Division of ORNL as a development scientist on the separation of transuranium elements such as Californium and isotope application development. He retired from ORNL in November of 2000, after 43 years of service.He was a member of Sigma Xi, the American Chemical Society, the American Nuclear Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and ORION. He volunteered with CONTACT, the Anderson County Board of Health, and the Pellissippi District of the Boy Scouts of America. He also played bass clarinet with the Oak Ridge Community Band. His brother Glen, who retired to Oak Ridge, and his brother Bob, who was a physician in Oak Ridge, also played in the band. John was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge. He enjoyed boating, astronomy, space, puzzles, poker, travel, and visiting with family.He is preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers, Glen Bigelow and Dr. Robert Bigelow, and by his sister-in-law, Kay Bigelow. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Laurie Meyer Bigelow; his daughter Holly Bigelow Martin of Bristow, VA; his son and daughter-in-law Timothy and Janet Bigelow of Knoxville; his son and daughter-in-law Andrew and Barbie Bigelow of Centreville, VA; and his sister-in-law Marlys Bigelow of Oak Ridge. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Rachel Bigelow; Clara and Jonathan Bigelow; and Emily, Nathaniel, Louisa, William, and Christopher Martin. His twelve nieces and nephews who survive him are spread out from Massachusetts to California.The family will receive friends on Saturday afternoon, January 26, 2008, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at Weatherford Mortuary, 158 South Jefferson Circle, Oak Ridge. The service will be at 2:00 p.m. Graveside services will follow immediately at 3:00 p.m. at Anderson Memorial Gardens and Chapel, 640 Oliver Springs Highway. The Reverend Mahan Archer of First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge will officiate. On-line messages may be sent to www.weatherfordmortuary.com.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, PO Box 8462, Chicago, IL 60680-8462, or to the Oak Ridge Community Band, PO Box 6980, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6980.The family wishes to thank the staff of NHC and Caris in Oak Ridge for their devoted service to Dr. Bigelow for the past year and a half  Share on favoritesShare on facebookShare on twitter|More Sharing ServicesMore ...All Memorials | Current Memorials View Memorial | Guestbook