OBITUARY FROM CALUMET PARK CEMETERY WEBSITE:
William David Bigler, 80, of Portage, Indiana, passed away on November 22, 2025. He was born on March 22, 1945, in Rochester, Indiana to the late Charles Robert and Betty Eloise (Jennens) Bigler.
Dave is survived by his children, Suzanne Marie (Bigler) Ritchie of Connersville, IN, Jennifer Lynn (Bigler) Schreck of Fishers, IN and Charles Steven Bigler of Michigan CIty, IN; grandchildren, Lauren Kristine and Troy Eric Fettinger of Fishers, IN, Sarah Marie Ritchie of Connersville, IN and Leighton Lynn Bigler of Granite City, IL; siblings, James Michael Bigler of Homestead, FL, Virginia Ann Reichert of Granger, IN and Robin Susan (Mike) DeProspero of Broad Ripple, IN, as well as many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Dave was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Daniel Bigler of Centerville, TX and sister-in-law, Auri Bigler of Homestead, FL.
Dave graduated from Hobart High School in 1963 and was on the cross country and basketball teams before obtaining his bachelor of Elementary Education from Indiana University Northwest. In 1966, Dave started a career at US Steel in Gary, IN, before he joined the US Army in 1968 where he was deployed during the Vietnam War to Germany. Dave was honorably discharged in 1971. At that time, Dave went back to the mill where he retired in 1998 after 32 years. He was a devoted member of the Hobart School Board for 16 years, where he represented the board as the state voting delegate.
Dave volunteered over 5,000 hours to the Hobart community; 25 years with the Hobart Little League- 10 as president, 20 years with Hobart Youth Basketball, was responsible for the four west parks for the Hobart Parks Department, was a Junior Achievement Instructor, and he taught and played Bridge and Pinochle. He was a member of the Kiwanis, Moose Lodge, Maria Reiner Center, and the Bonner Senior Center. Dave attended the First Baptist Church of Hammond.
In accordance with family wishes, cremation has been chosen. A meeting at the Calumet Park Funeral Chapel, 7535 Taft Street, Merrillville, IN 46410, on Friday, December 5. 2025, will begin at 11 AM to get in line for a procession to Calumet Park Cemetery, where graveside services and military honors will be rendered at 11:30 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Dave’s honor to Hobart Youth Sports, 414 Main Street, Hobart, IN 46342 (219-942-2489) or the Maria Reiner Center, 705 E 4th Street, Hobart, IN 46342 (219-947-1864).
This information and the picture below were obtained from: https://www.obits.mycalumetpark.com/memorials/william-dave-bigler/. The picture above was obtained from the 1963 HHS Memories yearbook, made available by the Lake County Public Library, at: https://archive.org/details/HOHS1963Images/.
