Harold E. Bigelow

HAROLD E. BIGELOW

LITTLETON, NH --Harold E. Bigelow died peacefully on Wednesday, October 9, 2013 after battling chronic health conditions for many years.

Harold was born in Steyr, Austria on March 5, 1946 to Anna (Sedlecky) Bigelow and Harold W. Bigelow. After spending his early childhood years in Austria, he was raised in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where in high school he was a member of both the Track and Field and Football Teams. Harold later attended the University of Massachusetts, earning a BS in Chemical Engineering. Along with graduate courses at MIT, Worcester Polytech and the Institute of Paper Chemistry, Harold applied his education to a life-long career in the paper and pulp industry. His storied career included leadership roles at Scott Paper Company, Great Northern Nekoosa Corporation, James River Corporation, International Paper Company and OMYA Corporation in Proctor, VT where he served as Vice President. In his retirement, Harold continued to provide consulting services related to the pulp and paper industry via Paperworks Consulting Engineers, for which he served as President.

Professionally, Harold was a member of the Technical Association for the Pulp and Paper Industry, the Paper Industry Management Association, the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association, the Society of Plastics Engineers, the Paper Industry Technical Association (U.K.), the Swedish Technical Forest Industries (Sweden) and the Paper Technical Society (Germany). In addition to his career-related affiliations, Harold served on the Zoning Board of Appeals in Holyoke, MA; as the Chairman of the Zoning Board in both Berlin, NH and Littleton, NH; as a City Councilor in Berlin, NH; and as both an Auditor and a Deacon for the Grace Congregational Church in Rutland, VT. Additionally, Harold was a Master Mason in Mosiac Lodge in Dover-Foxcroft, MA; a 32nd Degree Mason and a member of and Piper for the Anah Shrine, both in Bangor, ME; and a Volunteer Firefighter in Sebec, ME.

Harold's hobbies and interests included fishing, hunting, whitewater canoeing, hiking, gardening, playing chess and cribbage (especially with his granddaughters) and traveling. Harold was always a prolific reader and an avid historian, and especially during his retirement, he enjoyed cooking and eating Austrian and German food. He met his wife, Grace (Hixon) Bigelow in 2003, and they were married in 2007. They enjoyed ten years of laughter and love, showing each other their best and encouraging new adventures. Harold and Grace owned a Harley and had fun exploring the back roads of northern New Hampshire. Additionally, they spent time traveling in the Dominican Republic, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, the western United States and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.




He is survived by his wife, Gracinda Bigelow (Littleton, NH); daughters, Carolyn Nadeau (Milo, ME) and Stephanie Carr (University Place, WA); granddaughters, Michelle LeTarte (Milo, ME), Mallory Bigelow (Rutland, VT), Lydia Balestra (Milo, ME) and Margaux Salazar (University Place, WA); great granddaughter, Alexandria Anderson (Milo, ME); step children, Jeffrey Hixon (Boxford, MA) and Adrienne Backer (Berlin, NH); and step grandchildren, Maya, Kalliope and Devlin Hixon (Boxford, MA).


SERVICES -- A gathering to celebrate Harold's accomplishments and good humor will be held at the Village House in Franconia, NH on Saturday, November 16th at 1:00. Donations may be made in Harold's memory to Hospice or Palliative Care through the Littleton Regional Healthcare Charitable Foundation or to the American Heart Association.

Arrangements and care have been entrusted to the Pillsbury Phaneuf Funeral Home and Crematorium. For more information, or to send a message of condolence, please visit our website at www.pillsburyphaneuf.com.