09/22/2025
1st Quarter: Eldon “Ed” Merle Bigham was born July 8, 1942 to William Leslie and Ernestine Heisner Bigham. His birth mother passed away 4 ½ months after Ed’s birth. Ed was raised by Ernestine’s brother, Leonard Heisner and his wife Mary Faltmeyer Heisner (Ernestine’s best friend). This made Ed the youngest of eight children in both the Bigham and Heisner families. Ed often said “I am the luckiest child in Southern Illinois to be blessed with 14 siblings.”
2nd Quarter: Eldon attended school in the Pinckneyville, Illinois school system, graduating from PCHS (Pinckneyville Community High School) in 1960. He was recruited and offered a scholarship by NBA Hall of Fame basketball Coach, Harry Gallatin to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Ed played four seasons of basketball at SIU-C, two for Coach Gallatin and two for Coach Jack Hartman. Upon Ed’s graduation from Carbondale, he returned to his hometown of Pinckneyville where he accepted a position teaching and head basketball coach for Pinckneyville Community High School. After 4 years at Pinckneyville, he was recruited again by Coach Gallatin to join him at SIU (Southern Illinois University) Edwardsville to join him as his assistant basketball coach. During Ed’s tenure at SIU-E he earned his master’s degree and took on numerous positions at SIU-E such as professor, assistant to the Dean in student affairs, Athletic Director, also playing a major role in the development of the Vadalabene Center at SIU-E.
Ed embraced his new hometown of Edwardsville and became an active member of the community. Ed served as president of the LeClaire School PTA where his daughters, Michele and Jenifer attended school. He became a member of the YMCA board and joined Eden Church. Ed settled in and enjoyed his adopted city. After retiring from SIU-E, Ed became a real estate agent with ReMax in the Maryville, Illinois office, then owned by Jan Moore Smith and Terry Smith. He retired from ReMax after approximately 20 productive years.
3rd Quarter: Ed and his wife, Gloria lived in Glen Carbon, Illinois. They enjoyed a wonderful life of 42 years, living, loving and laughing together. They enjoyed traveling with friends and family, and looked forward to the regular trips to Las Vegas, Nevada with the Lou Juan Hills neighbors. Ed also enjoyed Canada fishing trips with his nephews and friends. He was also an avid quail hunter who loved training his dogs, he probably missed many a shot for watching the dogs lock in on the “perfect point”.
Loving all that he did in life, one of Ed's greatest pleasures was his family. Ed took any opportunity to grill out and have family and friends at his house. Ed’s house was often filled with neighbors, family and friends.
4th Quarter: Eldon “Ed” Merle Bigham, 83. Eldon passed away in his home September 17, at 5:00 in the evening with his family surrounding him. Ed is preceded in death by his parents; siblings, William Heisner, Leonard J. Heisner, Nelvin Heisner, Mildred Davis, Norma Welch, Marie Stanton, Betty Ann Simms, Winton Bigham, Orel Bigham, Bessie Bigham-Rheinecker, Beulah Bigham Hamm, Blanche Bigham West, and Nila Bigham Kohlsdorf.
Ed is survived by his wife, Gloria Jumper Bigham of Glen Carbon, IL; daughters, Michele (Shelly) Bigham of Edwardsville, IL, Jenifer Bigham Bonney (Lance) of Lewistown, IL; step-son, C. Robert (Robb) Crawford of St. Louis, MO; grandson, Michael U. Willame of Edwardsville, IL; granddaughters, Isabelle C. Bonney, Grace E. Bonney, and Samantha R. Bonney of Lewistown IL; brothers, A. Wayne and Charlene Bigham of Du Quoin IL; sisters-in-law, Marilyn Heisner of Pinckneyville, IL and Margie Moore of Edwardsville, IL; five brothers-in-law, Jim and Mitze Jumper of St. Ann, MO, S. Ray Jumper and Anderson Jumper both of Edwardsville, IL, Robert L. (Veronica) Johnson of Des Moines, WA, Richard (Sidra) Johnson of Tulsa OK, and a number of nieces and nephews from the Bigham, Heisner, Jumper, and Johnson families, and each one was his “favorite” niece or nephew.
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, Mr. Eldon Bigham, 83, departed this life at his home, accompanied by family. A visitation will take place on Friday, September 26, 2025, from 10:00 A.M. until the 11:00 A.M. service at Eden Church of Edwardsville, located at 903 N 2nd St. Edwardsville, Illinois 62025. Interment will be at Valley View Cemetery in Edwardsville.
Online guest book can be found at www.cathymwilliamsandsons.com
