Oral Emery 9 BIGELOW
Chapel Gardens Cemetery; Elwell, Gratiot County, Michigan
Obit: Florine Bigelow, 96, of Sanford, died Sunday,
August 21, 2016, at MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland. She was
born July 24, 1920, in Isabella County, daughter of the late
Richard and Julia (Larson) Vinton.
Florine Eleanor Vinton married Harrison C. Bigelow August 22, 1942
in Shepherd. He preceded her in death August 20, 2003. She
attended the St. Lawrence School of Nursing in Lansing and worked
supervision at Midland Hospital for many years. Florine and her
husband had owned and operated Bigelow Drug Store in Sanford for
many years retiring in 1978.
She enjoyed bowling, mushrooming, fishing, camping, traveling,
boating, snowmobiling, gardening, dancing, and many outdoor
activities. She also enjoyed spending time attending every
sporting event that she could make of her grandchildren and
great-grandchildren, especially baseball and softball. She was
very family oriented and personally diagnosed and gave life-saving
critical nursing care to her newborn niece Kimberly as described
in the book “In A Heartbeat” by Kimberly Russell. She was a member
of the Sanford United Methodist Church, a founding member of the
Sanford Lumberjacks and Jills (Sanford Senior Center). She was
also a member of the Manton club.
Florine is survived by one daughter Carolyn B. (William J.)
Maynard of Sanford ,one son Gregory Bigelow of San Francisco, CA;
an exchange student son Carl-Olof Wejdmark of Sweden;
grandchildren William H. (Michelle) Maynard, James G. (Sonjia)
Maynard; great-grandchildren Zachary C. Maynard, Haley Jaye
Maynard, Mallory Maynard, and Logan Maynard; one sister Janet
(Tom) Bechtel; and numerous nieces and nephews. Also surviving are
two sisters-in-law Patsy Vinton and Marilyn Vinton. In addition to
her parents and husband, Florine was preceded in death by brothers
Stanley Vinton, Harley Vinton, Kenneth Vinton (Patsy), Richard
Vinton (Marilyn), Sharron; and three sisters Ellen Rippee and
Arlene Jacobs and Ilene Bishop.
Funeral services for Florine will take place at 11 a.m. Friday,
August 26, 2016 from the Ware Smith Woolever Funeral Home, 1200 W.
Wheeler St. Midland Michigan. Reverend Lisa Cook of the Sanford
United Methodist Church will officiate. Burial will be in the
Sanford Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral
home on Thursday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. and on Friday from 10
a.m. until the time of service. Those planning an expression of
sympathy are asked to consider the Sanford United Methodist Church
or the Sanford Senior Center. Florine’s family would like to give
a special thank you to niece Kellie DeLong and sister-in-law Patsy
Vinton for their loving care of Florine.
The Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Directors Midland Chapel
Jerome Township Cemetery;
Sanford, Midland County, MI
Riverside Cemetery; Alma,
Gratiot County, MI
Glendale Cemetery; Okemos,
Ingham County, MI
Bigelow Drug Store in
Sanford
From Chuck Bigelow:
The Bigelow Drug Store was owned and operated by my dad’s
cousin, Harrison Bigelow, in Sanford, Michigan for many years.
They were lifelong friends.
<
rodbigelow@netzero.net > 
