Don Ervin Bigelow

Don Ervin Bigelow

(This was scanned into a computer file by Stephen Rawlins in Feb., 1997, from the document: DON AND ANNIE BIGELOW LIFE HISTORY, prepared by their children in 1988.)

Don Ervin was born at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 28th 1897. He was born in Wallsburg, Wasatch County, Utah. He was the fourth child and first son to Don and Annie Bigelow. How happy those two loving parents were, to now have a son.

Ervin remembered when his parents moved into his grandmother, Lucina Mecham Boren's house. This house was built by his grandfather, Jasper Boren. Grandma Boren had the post office and a small store in her home, which Don and Annie took over to run. It was in this house, that Ervin remembered the deaths of his four sisters who died of Diphtheria. Ervin also had Diphtheria, but he survived it.

He did very well in school and finished the eighth grade. That was as far as his schooling went, because his father was called to go on his second mission. Ervin was the oldest living child and was now forced to help his mother on the farm.

Ervin fell in love with Lavada Robinson and they were married December 1, 1915. Their children were:

  • Elda born 18 April 1917 died 7 Aug 1918
  • Carl E. born 1 Mar 1919
  • Guy born 1 Mar 1921 died 1 Mar 1921
  • baby Bigelow (boy) born 7 Nov 1922 died 7 Nov 1922
  • Byrle born 1 Mar 1924
  • Donna Vee born Aug 1926 died 12 Jan 1927

They were divorced 17th of October 1931.

Ervin met Malissa May Whiting and they were married in Provo September 25, 1933. Malissa had a two-year-old son, Richard Wendell Ball, from a former marriage. Ervin and Malissa's children were:

  • Arlo Ken born 7 Jul 1934 Wallsburg
  • Don Dee born 29 Aug 1935 Monroe
  • Ann Marie born 24 Oct 1937 Moab
  • Connie born 2 Apr 1940 Wallsburg

Ervin and Malissa lived in Wallsburg for a year or two and then they moved to Monroe, Utah, then on to Moab. Ervin sold Wearever Cooking Utensils for the Aluminum Co., of America. He made a good living selling this until World War II broke out and he no longer could get the utensils to sell.

He worked in Redding and Central Valley, California in the construction business. Re also spent several summers working on construction in Alaska. When Malissa and Ervin moved to Gold Beach, Oregon, Ervin contracted small jobs there.

After Ervin retired, he and Malissa worked in the Provo, Salt Lake, Manti, Ogden and St. George Temples. They did much work in the St. George Temple.

Ervin spent the last years of his life in Stanwood, Washington, where he died on October 10, 1980. He was buried in the Cedarhome Cemetery in Stanwood.

 

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