Bigler, Don Gene

Don Gene Bigler

September 7, 1947 – June 1, 2024

Donald “Don” Gene Bigler, 76, of Cypress, Texas, passed away June 1, 2024, after succumbing to a short battle with brain cancer.

Don was born in Littlefield, Texas, to Emil and Margaret Bigler on September 7, 1947. He attended schools in both Floyd and Portales, New Mexico, and graduated from Floyd High School in 1965. He voluntarily entered military service with the United States Marine Corps and deployed to Vietnam with rifle company Kilo, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines (Kilo 33). He left South Vietnam in July 1967 after being wounded in The Hill Fights (also known as the First Battle of Khe Sanh). Don was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant in January 1969. Upon returning home to Portales, he married Janice Kaye Webb on February 16, 1969 (later divorced in 2009). He worked the family farm in Floyd while attending Eastern New Mexico University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science.

During the same period, sons Tyson and Cade were born. He then worked as an adjuster for Farm Bureau Insurance in Espanola, New Mexico, before moving to Artesia where he earned his Commercial Driver License (CDL) with Halliburton. Upon the birth of son Josh in 1977, the family moved to Carlsbad where Don started driving 18-wheelers for Furr’s Supermarkets. In 1983, the family moved to Fort Sumner where Don started driving for Walmart. Over the next few years, the family split time between Fort Sumner and Portales, eventually leaving New Mexico in 1987 for Brady, Texas. A final job transfer to New Braunfels occurred in 1990, with early retirement beginning in 1994 after sustaining a debilitating lower-back injury. Walmart honored him with a safety award for driving one million miles without an accident.

Early retirement was not something Don had envisioned, but he met the challenge head-on. Eventually the open road beckoned to him, and he set about travelling the country with a fifth wheel trailer for about ten years. He made new friends along the way, met up with old friends and family too, and routinely came back to Texas to be near his sons and their growing families. He spent his final years in the Cypress/Tomball area. Don’s strong faith in the Lord helped him through many challenges. He was a long-standing member of the Church of Christ, most recently with the Waller congregation. Earlier in life he served as a deacon. He was always curious and liked to learn new things. He loved working with his hands and was an avid sports fan.

Don was preceded in death by his mother and father, along with his sister Gayle Herron of Albuquerque.

He is survived by his sons and their families, Tyson and Kathy Bigler (Tomball, Texas), Cade Bigler (Cypress, Texas), and Josh and Shomika Bigler (Cedar Park, Texas); a sister, Kay Heflin (Abilene, Texas), a sister and her husband, Faye and Travis Mitchell (Yuma, Arizona), and ex-wife Jan Bigler (Tomball, Texas). Other survivors include thirteen grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.