Ethel Brandt Bigham

Ethel Brandt Bigham, 95, Harrisburg, went to be with her Lord and Saviour on Thursday, September 11, 2014 at Harrisburg Hospital.
Born January 16, 1919 near Detroit, Kansas, she was the oldest and last surviving of five siblings. Her parents, Jesse Brandt and Myrtle (Neher) Brandt Richardson, her brothers, Vernon, Harold and Harvey Brandt, and her sister, Erma Switzer all preceded her in death.

At age 13, she accepted the Lord as her Saviour; was baptized and joined the Brethren in Christ church.

Ethel received her education in Dickinson County, Kansas in a one room schoolhouse and graduated from high school in Chapman, Kansas in 1938. She taught in a one room schoolhouse and then attended Messiah College, Grantham from 1939-1940, where she met and later married Paul D. Bigham of Fairfield, Pennsylvania on October 25, 1941.

The couple lived in Harrisburg all their lives where Ethel taught Sunday school and weekday Bible School for years and played the organ. She was later President of the Senior Citizens Friendship Club and was a member, Sunday School Teacher and Deaconess at Harrisburg Brethren in Christ Church. She enjoyed cooking and sewing, and dedicated her life to caring for her beloved family.

Surviving is her husband, Paul D. Bigham; 2 sons:  Darrel E. (and his wife, Polly) Bigham, Evansville, Indiana and Larry D. (and his wife, Sally) Bigham, Carlisle; one daughter:  Marilyn B. (and her husband, Randy) Miller, Harrisburg; 7 grandchildren: Matthew (and Elizabeth) Bigham, Elizabeth (and David Hotson) Bigham, Lori (and Andy) Walters, Paul (and Lori) Bigham, Andrea Miller, Randy (and Rachel) Miller, III and Daniel (and Becky) Miller and 13 great grandchildren: Russell, Samuel and Peter Bigham; Ethan and Jack Hotson; Ryan and Colin Walters; Nicholas, Kaitlin and Travis Bigham; and Anna, Roslyn and Deborah Miller.

Services will be held 11:00 am Thursday, September 18, 2014 in her church with Pastor Glenn "Woody" Dalton, Jr. officiating.  Burial will be in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Harrisburg.

There will be a viewing from 10:00 am until 11:00 Thursday at the church.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Harrisburg Brethren in Christ Church, 2217 Derry Street, Harrisburg, 17104 or to the Ethel Brandt Bigham Scholarship Fund at Messiah College, 1 College Avenue, Mechanicsburg, 17055.

Kimmel Funeral Home, Harrisburg, is handling arrangements.