Dr. and Mrs. Victor L. Bigford, D.D.S.

WAKEFIELD, Mich. — Victor “Vic” Lewis Bigford, loving Christian husband, family man, celebrated artist and popular dentist, better known as Vic, passed away on April 22, 2016, at 2:07 a.m. Victor Bigford and his wife, Bertha “Bert,” had spent almost 20 years in Wakefield, first when Dr. Bigford started his dental practice there in the late 1950s and later when he and his wife returned to Wakefield to retire on their 40 acres of shared property on Niemela Road.

Bertha Alice (Brown) Bigford, most beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, great-grandmother, and close friend of many that knew her, (teacher, chaplain, office manager, SAHM and active Christian), better known as “Bert,” passed away two months earlier on Feb. 15, 2016, after spending the night with her loving groom, Victor Lewis Bigford.

Both passed away while in the loving embrace of their two daughters, Terrie (Bigford) Fitzgerald and Robyn Bigford-Ozelis. Bert had battled an advanced stage of cancer for 15 years, and Vic had battled Parkinson’s disease for about 12 years.

Victor was born to Ira and Myrtle May (Abel) Bigford on Dec. 31, 1931, in Flint. The family later moved to Earlville, N.Y., where he grew up as the sixth of 10 children, William, Ralph, Margarette, Shirley (Morgan), Beatrice (James), Victor, Opal (Vanas), JoAnne (Silverman) and Mary Lou (Grieve).

His parents, and siblings Margarette and Ralph and his daughter-in-law, Crystal, preceded him in death.

Bertha was born to proud parents Wallace Brown and Margaret (Stiles) Brown, on Jan. 2, 1932, in Tell City, Ind., where she spent most of her youth and was one of 10 children. Five have preceded her in death, including, William Brown, Marjorie Anne Brown, Donald Brown (Sharon), Randy Brown and Rodonnah (Brown) Fisher (Bo). Her surviving siblings are Dorothy Hinton, Tell City, Ind., Lavon (Abe) Siador, Carol (Armando) Munoz and Delores (Antonio) Pena.

Vic and Bert attended Immanuel Missionary College, now Andrews University, in Berrien Springs and that is where they met. They eloped on Feb. 20, 1954, after many roller skating, tennis and volleyball dates. They both passed away the year of their 65th wedding anniversary.

Victor and Bertha are also survived by their two sons, Brad and Bruce Bigford; and their two daughters mentioned above. They also leave the following grandchildren, Jayme (Pete) Denis, Jesse (Amber) Fitzgerald, Jenny Fitzgerald, Andrew Hall, Brooke Bigford and Kristina Ozelis; nine great-grandchildren; and many loving nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. In addition to these “blood” family members, they leave their dearest friends, Ray and Shirley Holmes, Rhoda Holmes, and her two sons, Daniel and Levi Watkins.

Victor and Bertha’s joint memorial service will take place in Bessemer on July 10, at the Bessemer Christ Community Seventh Day Adventist Church, 507 E. Cinnabar St., with Pastor Sean Brizendine officiating the service at 2 p.m.

A reception will follow the service at Kastman Hall in Sharon Lutheran Church on the intersection of Moore and Sellar Streets.

Please send donations in Victor or Bertha Bigford’s name to Sharlene Buck, treasurer: Bessemer Christ Community Seventh Day Adventist Church, 507 E. Cinnebar St., Bessemer, MI 49911-1104 to support the little Bessemer Michigan Seventh Day Adventist Church School as Bert wanted. Envelopes addressed to this mission will be provided at the memorial service as well.