Obituary of Barney Bigbie

Services for Barney Delbert Bigbie, 90, New London, will be at 10:00 a.m., Friday, June 17, at London Baptist Church,  in New London with Reverend Ken Hayman officiating. Military graveside services will be at  noon, Friday, June 17, at Memory Park Cemetery in Longview under direction of Cottle-Pearson Funeral Home, Overton. Barney Bigbie passed away peacefully in a Tyler hospital on June 14, 2011 with his loving family by his side. He was dearly loved and will truly be missed. Born in Anna, Texas on September 19, 1920 to Tom and Mollie Bigbie, Barney was an avid sports fan and especially loved the Texas Longhorns. He was a gifted domino, 42, checkers, and pool player. He had a unique sense of humor with a special quality for making people laugh.  He was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and friend.   Most of all, Barney was a true patriot. He proudly served his country as a Marine. Having already survived the Bogainville campaign where he was rescued by a PT boat captained by John Kennedy, future President of the United States, Barney was in the first wave of Marines to hit the beach on Iwo Jima. Fighting was ferocious and on the third day of battle Bigbie was wounded in the shoulder.  Too weak to walk due to blood loss, he was carried back to Iwo beach by his fellow soldiers under heavy fire. Days later from the deck of a hospital ship, Bigbie saw his fellow Marines raise the flag on Iwo Jima's Mount Sarabouchi. Barney was happily married to Irene Marlowe for over 54 years. He worked for Humble Oil (Exxon) for almost 36 years and retired in 1981. He was preceded in death by wife,Irene Marlowe Bigbie, a son-Jack Stewart, his parents Tom and Mollie Bigbie,   five brothers and six sisters. Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, Danny and Phyllis Bigbie, New London; two grandsons, Jeff Bigbie and wife Martie of Tyler, Jason Bigbie and wife Carrie of New London; five great grandchildren, Ashley Bigbie, Charlie Bigbie, Bailey Bigbie, Griffin Bigbie, and Noah Bigbie; a sister, Octavia Beisch of Taylor, Arkansas and a host of nieces & nephews. Pallbearers will be Mike Childress, Jim Felkner, Troy Cooper, Pat Hogan, Jake Jackson and Larry Harwood. Visitation will be from 6:00p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, June 16, at London Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.  The family extends special thanks to the dedicated home caregivers, Sylvia, Delaynie, Gertie, and Annie, and his 2WB ICU nurses at ETMC for the extraordinary care and love they displayed while taking care of Grandad.