08/13/2020
W Richard Biggs, 80,, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at his home in Porter, Indiana on July 28th.
He was born February, 8, 1940, in Gary, Indiana, to Charles Biggs and Angeline (Medved) Schlagel.
After graduating from Gary Edison High School in 1958, Richard was employed at Inland Steel, where he worked his way up to Director of Graphic Arts. Richard was also a graduate of the American Academy of Art, Chicago, and a telescope maker at the Adler Planetarium. He sang lead in the barbershop group Chorus of the Dunes and was an avid cross-country skier. He also sat on the board of the Naguib School of Sculpture in Beverly Shores. After retiring from Inland Steel in the 1980s, he became a master luthier and violin bowmaker. He owned Biggs Violin Shop at its current location in Porter for 20 years. He was a member of the Violin Society of
America’s prestigious advanced professional bowmaking workshop at Oberlin College and Conservatory. Richard had an insatiable curiosity and never stopped learning and creating new things. He was known to his friends and family for telling great stories about his life.
On May 25th, 1963 he married Carol (Atchison) Biggs, who survives.
Also surviving are his four children, Rich Biggs of Porter, Sharon (Mark) Waller of Chesterton, Matt (Noelle) Biggs of Valparaiso, and Carrie Biggs of Porter; three siblings, Charles (Esther) Biggs of Alpharetta, GA, , Pamela Biggs Blachley of Portage, and Dan (Nancy) Biggs of Hobart; Sister-in-law Shirley (Robert) Steinert of Olathe, KS; five grandchildren, Ashley, Ethan, Noah, Adam, and Patricia; two step-grandsons, Calum (Claire) Waller and Graham Waller; one great step- grandson, Ted Waller; and four nephews Patrick Biggs, Greg Biggs, Michael Biggs, Brian Biggs.
Preceded in death were his parents, and brother Laurence Biggs.
An outside service celebrating Richard’s life will be held on August 22nd at Comfort Farm, 1419 N. Tremont Road, Chesterton, IN 46304, 219-263-6602. Visitation from 1-3 PM, service at 3 PM, Reverend Barbara Jung officiating. With current condition of Covid-19 we are asking all in attendance to wear masks.
Please send condolences to the family at www.mykeeper.com/profile/WayneRichardsBiggs/.
Memorial contributions will be welcome at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital www.stjude.org or Holt International Children’s Services www.holtinternational.org.
At Holt International, we help orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children to thrive by finding families to love them. Families in the form of trained caretakers who assume the awesome task of nurturing children awaiting adoption.
