OBITUARY

Name:   George Franklin Biggerstaff

From:  The News Dispatch, Michigan City, Indiana
Date:  December 1, 2004

George Franklin Biggerstaff, 84, Michigan City, died at 5:40 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 28, 2004) at Fountainview Terrace, La Porte.

The funeral is at 10 a.m. Thursday at Root Funeral Home, with the Rev. Doug Stack of Trinity Wesleyan Church, Tipton, Ind., officiating. Burial is in Swan Lake Memorial Gardens. Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. until the service Thursday at the funeral home.

Mr. Biggerstaff was born March 27, 1920, in McLeansboro, Ill., to Grover Cleveland and Kathryn (Wheeler) Biggerstaff. He married the love of his life, Cora May Burns, on Dec. 6, 1941 (the day before Pearl Harbor) in Michigan City. They were married for 56 years before her death on Sept. 18, 1998.

Survivors include two daughters, Mary Lee (Bill) Lykins, La Porte, and Debra (Mike Baum) Biggerstaff, Middleburg, Fla.; three sons, Bill Biggerstaff, Key West, Fla., James (Ezell) Biggerstaff, Auburn, Ga., and George "Skip" Biggerstaff, Hudson Lake, Ind.; 10 grandchildren, James Biggerstaff, Amy Ormsby, Heather Poston, Kari English, Shannon Long, Cassandra Biggerstaff, Kory Biggerstaff, Dana Lykins, Lori Slack and Heath Smith; 13 great-grandchildren, James Biggerstaff, Christopher Biggerstaff, Ana Wahl-Biggerstaff, Brent Biggerstaff, Kamren English, Riley English, Caleb Martin, Kegan Long, Jeffrey Lykins, Tyler Slack, Nathan Slack, Tyler Smith and Ted Smith; one brother, Robbie Biggerstaff, Hudson Lake; two sisters, Lucille Goodwin, LaPorte, and Betty Hazel, Michigan City; and one cousin, Maxine Kunkel.

He was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Angela "Kitten" Biggerstaff; one sister, Nellie Motta; and one brother, John Biggerstaff.

Mr. Biggerstaff was the former owner of Biggerstaff's Bar for more than 30 years. He was a member of Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge 980 and Eagles Aerie, and formerly was president of the LaPorte, Porter, Starke County Tavern Owners Association.

Mr. Biggerstaff moved to Winder, Ga., in 1971 and became a stone mason. He retired in 1990 from Art Marble and Stone in Atlanta. He returned to Michigan City with his constant companion and beloved dog "Mitzi" in 2003 to be close to his family.

Memorials may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, 7301 Georgetown Road 112, Indianapolis, IN 46268.