Barbara J. (Brown) Bigelow

It is with great sorrow we announce Barbara's passing on December 18, 2023.

Barbara was born on July 14, 1929, in Albany, NY, To the late Harry and Mona (Phelps) Brown. She graduated in 1947 from Leominster High School, where she was a member of numerous athletic teams.

Barbara married the love of her life, Charles W. Bigelow, on June 11, 1949, at the Congregational Church of Christ in North Leominster. Barbara and Charlie were married for 72 years and worked side by side at Leominster News Agency.

Barbara was predeceased by her husband, Charlie, her brother, Richard Brown, her sister, Thelma Brown, and two sons-in-law, Matteo Ciccone and Larry Despres.

Barbara is survived by her five children. Randy (Judy) Bigelow, Rhonda (Jim) Malatos, Lynn Bigelow-Ciccone, Sharon (Carl) Dimassa, and Scott (Beth) Bigelow. Her Seventeen grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. Her brother-in-law, Donald (Jackie) Bigelow, and several nieces and nephews.

As a young mom, she enjoyed sewing matching dresses for her Irish twins, knitting lots of mittens for her five children, their annual cape cod family vacations, Sunday dinners, Friday night date nights with Charlie, watching Fox News, baking cookies and pies, and hosting numerous gatherings for family and friends.

In her later years, she could be found in the pie room at the church suppers or diligently watching her grandchildren in the pool, and she was always a fixture in the stands at their sporting events.

Barbara's most cherished accomplishment was being the matriarch of her large family.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, December 29, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. Congregational Church of Christ, 583 Main St., Leominster, MA, Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Leominster. There are no calling hours.      

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