Marilyn Bigelow Obituary

MARILYN KAY SEEGER BIGELOW Marilyn Kay (Seeger) Bigelow was born November 19, 1930, in Detroit, MI, to Vera Leona (von Holt) and Edwin Seeger, the eldest of three children. She died December 14, 2024, of untreatable cancer. An outstanding student, she graduated with honors from Mackenzie High School. After her father's death in 1941 left the family impoverished, Marilyn worked at Hudson's Department Store to save for college. With just $400, she enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1949, insisting on working to stay enrolled. She was granted a cafeteria job and later full funding. She excelled academically, served as a reader for blind students, was elected co-op house president, and earned a B.A. in political science in 1953. She married fellow student Gordon Bigelow, and in 1954 hitchhiked through Europe with a friend. Marilyn earned a master's degree in library science from the University of California, Berkeley, and worked as a librarian throughout her life, including at Chaminade University in Honolulu until retiring in 1993. She and Gordon taught and worked aboard Semester at Sea, circumnavigating the globe four times, and traveled widely, spending more than two years at sea. After retiring to Ann Arbor, she remained active in the community and helped save a historic home once occupied by Arthur Miller from demolition. Vivacious and warm, Marilyn was a gifted reference librarian, avid reader, photographer, and world traveler who maintained lifelong friendships across the globe. Her 71-year marriage was marked by shared adventure, including travel to nearly every U.S. state. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, remembered for her optimism, humor, curiosity, and generous spirit. She is survived by her husband Gordon, three daughters, a granddaughter, extended family, and many dear friends. Marilyn enriched countless lives and faced the end of her life with grace and courage.