Garth Bigelow
March 7, 1939 – Feb. 20, 2025

Garth died peacefully at his home with his daughter by his side, at the age of 85.

Garth grew up in the Rocky area and attended various schools. He started out walking two hours to Everdell School and couldn’t wait to get by the wood stove to warm up. He also attended Pleasantvale Schoolroom by Strachan and Rocky School later on. Garth had an early start at getting hands-on experience by skidding logs in the bush. He also did various other jobs such as mechanic work, chainsaw, heliport jobs, catskinning and disc work with his tractor.

Garth spoke of a time when he worked at a junkyard in Red Deer and would sleep in his car and go to the café for meals. His work shoes weren’t holding up so well, so he decided to put his creativity to the test. He cut out some of his floor mats and placed them in his shoes as inserts. This would get him by until he could afford a new pair.

There wasn’t a piece of land in the country that you could drive by without him having a story about how he broke that land or built that road. He knew every make and model of almost every vehicle or piece of machinery there was. When Garth retired at age 72, he needed to keep busy, so he would go to the auctions and see about getting the next great deal. He would buy and sell anything from cars to school buses. If he thought it was a great deal, he would bid on it. Garth also looked forward to driving in to the local Petro-Can to grab a coffee with the guys and catch up on the latest goings on and to pick up a copy of the local newspaper.

Garth was a humble man and very much old school way of thinking. He never had a debit or credit card and if someone wouldn’t accept his cash or cheque he wouldn’t do business with them. In many ways he had the right way of thinking — “Simple, and if it ain’t broken don’t fix it.”

Garth is survived by and leaves to mourn his daughter Gail Steeves; son-in-law Ryan Bogle; grandchildren: Cole Leslie and Cassidy Leslie; great-grandchildren: Lynden, Emsley, Mason, Nixon and Lainey. Also, by many nieces, nephews and friends and neighbours.

Garth was predeceased by his parents Maude and Harold Bigelow, brother Carson Bigelow and Roy ‘Bud’ Bigelow, sister Vivian Hallek, parents-in-law Stan “Slim” and Dorothy Fenc. Sadly, Garth was also predeceased by most of his immediate family: oldest son Richard “Rick” Bigelow in 1990, wife Rosalee “Fairy” Bigelow in 1995 and youngest son Dwayne “Booferd” Bigelow in 2000.

As per Garth’s wishes there will be no service. A private gathering will be held at a later date.

Condolences may be forwarded to www.rockyfuneralhome.ca.

Rocky and Sylvan Lake Funeral Homes and Crematorium, your Golden Rule Funeral Homes, entrusted with the arrangements.