Raymond George Biggar - age: 85
(October 31, 1929 to September 30, 2015
)
Resident of
Saco, Maine
Visitation Information:
A memorial service will be held at 11a.m. on Saturday, October 3, 2015 at Standish Congregational Church, UCC 25 Oak Hill Road, Standish. A graveside service will be held at the Biggar family plot in Laurel Hill Cemetery at 2 p.m. the same day. Dennett, Craig and Pate Funeral Home, 365 Main Street, Saco is in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Ray’s memory to Thornton Academy, 438 Main Street, Saco, ME 04072; Bowdoin College Scholarship, 4500 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011;or to Standish Congregational Church, UCC, 25 Oak Hill Road, Standish, ME 04084.
Obituary:
SACO - Raymond G. Biggar died peacefully and with dignity at home in Saco on Wednesday, September 30, after a long illness.
Ray grew up in Saco. A member of the Class of 1948 at Thornton Academy, he was class president his senior year. He graduated in 1952 from Bowdoin College with an A.B. in English, and in 1953 from Harvard University with a Master of Arts in Teaching. He taught at Scituate High School, Scituate, MA and Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater, MA, before entering the doctoral program in English at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1961. He taught Medieval English literature, the History of the English Language, and English as a Second Language for Foreign Students in the English Department at Boston College for over 40 years, retiring in 2000. In 2011, he moved to Saco to an independent living cottage at Atlantic Heights. He enjoyed the Atlantic Heights Cottage Residents Community, especially Monday morning Men’s Discussion Group.
Raymond is survived by his wife of fifteen years, Cynthia Bland-Biggar, who currently serves as Pastor of the Standish Congregational Church, UCC in Standish; by sons Robert Biggar (Angela) of Setauket, NY and James Biggar (Stephanie Boutin) of Arlington, MA and by his grandchildren Andrew, Jeremy, Talia and Emily Biggar; by three stepchildren from his first marriage, Michael Herz (Jean Roiphe), Jonathan Herz (Carolyn) and Margaret Albright (John) and their families. He is also survived by his sister Ruth B. Claypool of Acton, MA; by several nieces, a nephew and 8 step grandchildren Daniel, Zachary and Rachel Herz-Roiphe; Ethan and Seth Herz; and Kate “Sam”, Emma and Jake Albright. He was predeceased by his brother Robert Watson Biggar, Jr. (Bob).
Ray will be sadly missed by his beloved Border Collie dog, Sophie (whom he walked daily until Friday, September 25) and by his cat companion, Lily.
The Biggar family wishes to acknowledge with gratitude the excellent care provided by Dr. Kurt Ebrahim and Danielle Bowen NPC and the staff at New England Center for Cancer Medicine; by Cecile Roy R.N., and other staff members at the Ambulatory Care Unit of Southern Maine Health Care Center; and by Hospice of Southern Maine.
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