In Memory Of

Garth Bigelow

Mar 7, 1939 - Feb 20, 2025

Service

  Garths wishes there will be no service. A private gathering will be held at a later date.

Obituary

Garth died peacefully at his home with his daughter by his side, at the age of 85. Garth grew up in the Rocky area and attended various schools. He started out walking 2 hours to Everdell School and couldn't wait to get by the wood stove to warm up. He also attended Pleasantvale Schoolroom by Strachan and Rocky School later on. Garth had an early start at getting hands on experience by skidding logs in the bush. He also did various other jobs such as mechanic work, chainsaw, heliport jobs, catskinning and disc work with his tractor. Garth spoke of a time when he worked at a junkyard in Red Deer and would sleep in his car and go to the café for meals. His work shoes weren't holding up so well so he decided to put his creativity to the test. He cut out some of his floor mats and placed them in his shoes as inserts. This would get him by until he could afford a new pair. There wasn't a piece of land in the country that you could drive by without him having a story about how he broke that land or built that road. He knew every make and model of almost every vehicle or piece of machinery there was. When Garth retired at age 72, he needed to keep busy, so he would go to the auctions and see about getting the next great deal. He would buy and sell anything from cars to school buses. If he thought it was a great deal, he would bid on it. Garth also looked forward to driving in to the local Petro Can to grab a coffee with the guys and catch up on the latest goings on and to pick up a copy of the local newspaper.
Garth was a humble man and very much old school way of thinking. He never had a debit or credit card and if someone wouldn't accept his cash or cheque he wouldn't do business with them. In many ways he had the right way of thinking — "Simple, and if it ain't broken don't fix it."
Garth is survived by and leaves to mourn his daughter Gail Steeves, son-in-law Ryan Bogle; grandchildren: Cole Leslie and Cassidy Leslie; great grandchildren: Lynden, Emsley, Mason, Nixon and Lainey. Also, by many nieces, nephews and friends and neighbors.
Garth was predeceased by his parents Maude and Harold Bigelow; brother Carson Bigelow and Roy 'Bud' Bigelow; sister Vivian Hallek; parent-in-taws Stan 'Slim' and Dorothy Fenc. Sadly, Garth was also predeceased by most of his immediate family: oldest son Richard 'Rick' Bigelow in 1990, wife Rosalee 'Fairy' Bigelow in 1995 and youngest son Dwayne 'Booferd' Bigelow in 2000. As per Garths wishes there will be no service. A private gathering will be held at a later date.
Condolences may be forwarded to www.rockyfuneralhome.ca.
Rocky and Sylvan Lake Funeral Homes and Crematorium, your Golden Rule Funeral Homes, entrusted with the arrangements.

Condolences

Donna Adrain:

Gail, I’m so sorry for the loss of your dad. May you have many great memories to reflect on.

Randy Symesko:

Good old friend! Loved being with you in the Legion and having beers with you! You will be forever missed..
Have a safe journey on the other side..

My deepest sympathies to the family...

Colleen, Aime, Jason& Arielle Cyr; Mary, Patrick &Harold Bigelow:

Uncle Garth I do so remember your great sense of humour. I remember you with my Dad Carson and your brother Roy in Rocky Mountain House. You all were laughing and joking about. Now you all are together. My condolences go out to you Gail and all of your family and his friends. He will be dearly missed by all.

Laura turnbull:

Sorry for your loss condolences to the family.

Keith Murray:

Sorry for your loss. He will be greatly missed.

Nikki Johnson :

My condolences to Gail. One by one they are gone. I hope you find peace, your dad lived a good long life. Best wishes to the other family and grandkids too.

Dawn & Donn Mason / Meryl & Ernest Campbell:

Sending our deepest sympathy to you Gail and all the extended family of Garth. He will be missed by all those who had the good fortune to call him friend throughout the years..

Lori Weigel:

My deepest sympathy and condolences to all the family and friends sure loved Garth he always held a special place in my heart and will truly miss him my heart hurts for you all hugs and love to you all

Jim k:

Condolences to family and friends Garth was a hell of a man he sure had some stories I don’t think there was anything with a motor he couldn’t fix till we meet again RIP my friend

Lori Weigel:

My deepest sympathy and condolences to all family and friends garth was such a kind yes humble and great man..I always enjoyed out visits with garth when we'd go visit at his acreage out of town we have many fond memories and many laughs. I will always hold deep in my heart R.I.P Garth I will miss you deeply you where always so good and kind to us all till we meet again friend take it easy up there and say hi and have a beer with steve. Rest easy friend

Brent mcmeekin has :

I’m very sad to hear the passing of my old friend Garth he was a great man and he taught me a lot when I was younger my families condolences to his family I will never forget ya skinny rest in peace old friend

Vera&Bruce:

My deepest sympathy to the family. It was always fun to see him at the legion. I always rubbed his head when I walked by. It’s been a few years, but Bruce and I always enjoyed having him over for a fire. He was so funny! RIP Garth. You truly will be missed.

Allan Andres:

I worked with Garth in the 80s i have never laughed so much on the job in my whole life. We worked at GM Carson construction. He was a pillar for people entering the work world

Zoop:

Garth was an incredible character of a man. His sense of humor was surpassed by none. One of the great "Old timers" of rocky mountain house.
He will truly be missed.

Brittany Bigelow :

Uncle Garth always had so many good stories of the past to share with us. Many of which seemed too funny to be possibly be true, but they absolutely were. The last visit we had, you could tell he didn’t want us to leave and he invited us to come back. Very glad to have known Garth. You will be missed and never forgotten. Love always, Brittany, Jimmy & Emma.

Rebecca Norrie:

Garth was always joking around and had a good sense of humour !He will always be missed.Everybody is doing it ,doing it ,was a saying he would say ! Condolences to his family.

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