Bigler, Ernest B. 1874-1940

BIGLER, SCHROEDER, MILLER, GERMAN

Posted By: S. Ferrall
Date: 8/27/2011 at 21:47:58

Ernest B. Bigler was born at Elgin, Iowa, April 25, 1874, to Mr. and Mrs. Gottlieb Bigler. He was baptized and confirmed in the Evangelical Lutheran church of which he was a life-long member.

On Oct. 27, 1897, he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Schroeder which union was blessed with eight children, seven sons and one daughter. After his marriage he settled and resided for a number of years at Luana, then for one year at Castalia. From Castalia he moved to the present Bigler homestead near the village of Saetre on R7, Decorah, where he resided the last 25 years of his life.

His wife and three of the children preceded him in death, his wife in 1929, Harry in infancy being 1 1/2 years of age, Elsie at the age of 5 years, and George in 1931 at the age of 24 years.

For a number of years Mr. Bigler had been in rather poor health suffering from several diseases. He passed away suddenly Saturday afternoon, Aug 17, being sixty-six years of age.

He leaves to mourn his departure five sons, Elmer, Lester, Harvey, Roy and Walter, all of Decorah, also two brothers, Henry of Postville, and John of Luana, and one sister Mrs. Caroline Miller of Clermont, and twelve grandchildren. Besides these near relatives he also leaves to mourn his departure a host of other relatives and friends.

He will be remembered as an affectionate father and grandfather, a true and loyal friend, a kind and generous neighbor, and a devout christian gentleman. In his passing the whole community has sustained a great loss. But whereas we regret the loss of him for he will be missed not only in the immediate family circle but also in the church and neighborhood, still we rejoice in this that we can lay him to rest in the knowledge that he has gained, through the Savior in whom he believed and trusted and endeavored to serve, the glories of life eternal. He has left us to join his lifemate and the other three who have gone before, and there he will wait for our coming as we too gain, through faith in the Savior, victory over death and are summoned one by one. May God bless the memory of Mr. Bigler.

Pallbearers were six nephews, Louis, Lorence, Richard and Lloyd Bigler, Milton Schroeder and Walter German.

~Elgin Echo, August 29, 1940