Bill Bigley

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of William Brian "Bill" Bigley on August 29, 2020, in Fair Oaks, California. It is hard to find the words that capture Bill's spirit, as he was so many things to so many people. To his friends, Bill was "a singular force of nature and energy," "absolutely one of a kind," "a true leader," "a sweet, kind, compassionate guy," and "a great friend" with "a big heart." Bill grew up in Fair Oaks, California, raised by his mother Dorothy and his grandparents William and Louise Gough. He went to high school at Del Campo High, where he excelled at all sports, especially baseball. He attended New York University, studying music and physical education, and upon graduating pursued his love for America's Pastime, which saw him play minor league ball for the Philadelphia Phillies among other opportunities In his life after baseball, Bill worked 17 years for IBM, then Oracle and other various positions in the tech world. He eventually started his own company Iliad Group LLC, for which he worked tirelessly. Bill's career was incredibly important to him and his work ethic was a defining characteristic to all that knew him. Despite not seeing eye to eye with his daughters on politics, two things they could always talk about were baseball and old movies. He loved music, classic movies and westerns, all things John Wayne, travel, golf, baseball, and perhaps most of all his dogs. He loved passionately his golden retrievers Fanny, Norman, Katie and of course Mikie, who basically remained at his side to the very end. Bill loved the exceptional and had impeccable taste-- he knew the best of the best in just about every major city in the world. His daughters will never forget holidays in New York City, staying at the Camelback in Arizona, shopping in Carmel, living in Edinburgh, summer shows at Music Circus, or the countless visits to Disneyland. These were his happy places. His generosity opened the world to his daughters and furnished countless memories. Bill is survived by his sisters Carol, Debbie and Becky, his brother Brete, daughters Meghan and Nicole, his grandaughter Vivian, his friend and former wife Debbie, many nieces and nephews, and his faithful dog Mikie. Summing up Bill's storied life of seventy-one years is an impossible task, but we can come close with the words of Bill's hero John Wayne, who said "I have tried to live my life so that my family would love me and my friends respect me. The others can do whatever the hell they please."