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Eldon “Ed” Bigham, a retired Southern Illinois University Edwardsville faculty member who played a major role in the development of the Vadalabene Center, died on Wednesday, Sept. 17. He was 83. 
 
Ed made a lasting impact on the SIUE community as a professor, athletic director, assistant basketball coach, and assistant to the Dean of Student Affairs. In Edwardsville, he served as president of the LeClaire School PTA, joined the YMCA board and worked as a real estate agent in Maryville for approximately 20 years after post-retirement. 
 
According to an online obituary, Ed was born July 8, 1942 to William Leslie and Ernestine Heisner Bigham. His birth mother passed away months after Ed was born. Ed was raised by Ernestine’s brother, Leonard Heisner and his wife Mary Faltmeyer Heisner (Ernestine’s best friend). This made Ed the youngest in both the Bigham and Heisner families, to which he often said, “I am the luckiest child in Southern Illinois to be blessed with 14 siblings.” 
 
A product of the Pinckneyville school system, Ed graduated from Pinckneyville Community High School (PCHS) in 1960 and was recruited and offered a scholarship by NBA Hall of Fame basketball coach Harry Gallatin to Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). He played four seasons of basketball at SIUC, two for Coach Gallatin and two for Coach Jack Hartman. Upon graduation, he returned to Pinckneyville to teach and serve as head basketball coach at PCHS. After four years, Gallatin recruited him again, but this time as an assistant basketball coach at SIUE, where Ed would begin his career on the Edwardsville campus.
 
Ed is preceded in death by his parents and many siblings. He is survived by his wife, Gloria Jumper Bigham; daughters Michele (Shelly) Bigham and Jenifer Bigham Bonney (Lance); stepson C. Robert (Robb) Crawford; grandchildren Michael U. Willame, Isabelle C. Bonney, Grace E. Bonney, and Samantha R. Bonney; brothers A. Wayne Bigham (Charlene); sisters-in-law Marilyn Heisner and Margie Moore; and many beloved nieces and nephews. 
 
A visitation will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 26 with an 11:00 a.m. service at Eden Church of Edwardsville, located at 903 N 2nd St., Edwardsville, Ill. 62025. Interment will follow at Valley View Cemetery in Edwardsville. 
 
Memories can be shared via the online guest book.

PHOTO:  Eldon “Ed” Bigham