Charlotte Bigelow

Charlotte Louise Bigelow of Fort Collins, passed away peacefully at her home on April 14, 2009. Charlotte Louise Sawin was born on December 31, 1923 in Gardner, Massachusetts to Alton and Irene Smith Sawin. In 1943, she graduated from North High School in Worcester, Massachusetts. She then attended Salter Secretarial School and worked at Heald Machine Company. On February 29, 1948, she married Norman Tudor Bigelow in Worcester. Their son, David, was born the following year. After moving to Feasterville, Pennsylvania, Charlotte started working at Central Penn Bank. She began as a teller, but she retired as a Branch Manager. During her years at the bank, she went through at least two robberies. She was active in Questers, and was a 65-year member of The Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1983, she and Norman moved to Colorado to be closer to their only child, David, and his family. Charlotte volunteered to help children learn to read at Laurel Elementary School. She always wanted to be a Kindergarten teacher, and children were drawn to her. Her work at Laurel School was very special to her and kept her involved in the community she loved. Charlotte always considered herself "lucky" because she had so many friends and her health was so good. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alton and Irene Sawin; her brother, Alton Sawin, Jr.; her husband, Norman Bigelow; and her son, David Bigelow. She is survived by her sister, Jean Danielson of Holden, Massachusetts, and her family; her daughter-in-law, Cynthia Bigelow; her grandchildren, Dennis and Caroline Bigelow; irreplaceable friend James Ogg; and all the many friends and school children who will remember her kindness and her bright spirit. Services will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 2:00 pm at Bohlender Funeral Chapel. There will also be a gathering after the service at Park Lane Towers, 415 S. Howes St. The family requests that no flowers be sent. Instead, donations in Charlotte's memory can be made to the Alzheimer's Association of America or to KRFC FM radio station http://krfcfm.org/ in care of Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive St., Ft. Collins, CO 80524.