Bonnie Rae (Gardner) Bigler Obituary (1927 - 2019)

Bonnie Rae Gardner Bigler passed away peacefully Friday, December 13, 2019 from natural causes at her home in Mantua UT. She was born January 6, 1927 in Bear River City UT to Robert Nathaniel Jr and Florence (Nana) Eleen Johnsen Gardner. She graduated from Box Elder High School in Brigham City UT and later received a degree in elementary education from Utah State University. While attending Utah State, she was part of a singing group where she met her future husband, Gordon Odell Bigler. They were married September 20, 1948 in the Logan LDS Temple. When Gordon left the air force, they bought a home in Mantua where she lived since 1960. As a stay-at-home-mom of six children, she dedicated herself to raising them, and once they were all in school, she got her teaching certificate and taught 2nd grade at Central Elementary School (which stood where the Brigham City LDS Temple now stands) and then Mountain View Elementary School in Brigham City for 20 years before retiring. She loved music and especially singing, performing in many small groups and choirs--eventually singing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 20 years (retiring in 1983) touring with them in the United States and many foreign countries including Western and Central Europe, Japan, Korea, Israel and Brazil. She is survived by her husband Gordon, six children: Jeff (Claudia), Larry (Debbie), Karen Browne (Greg), Dean, John and Richard (Amy) and her 50 grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, mother and father-in-law, and her sister and three brothers. Funeral services will be on December 20, 2019 at 11:00 am at the Mantua 1st Ward Chapel, 237 Willard Peak Rd, Mantua, UT. A viewing will be held on December 19, 2019 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Myers Mortuary, 205 S. 100 E., Brigham City, UT and from 9:30 to 10:30 am prior to funeral services at the Church. Interment is in the Mantua Cemetery. The family would like to thank Ali's Angels for all the wonderful, loving care they gave to Mom over the last few years.