Wylamene H. Bigelow, 78, Ottawa, an Osawatomie native, died Monday, Jan. 10, 2005, at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita.

More commonly known as Willie, she was born May 12, 1926, in Osawatomie, the daughter of George and Thelma Jenkins Hunsperger. She grew up in Osawatomie and graduated from Osawatomie High School in 1944.

After graduation, she moved to Kansas City and worked for Sears Roebuck Co. as a secretary.

On Aug. 17, 1947, she was married to Glenn E. Bigelow at her parents' home in Osawatomie. They moved to the Ottawa community from Osawatomie in 1951. They shared more than 48 years of marriage before his death on March 31, 1996.

Mrs. Bigelow was a homemaker. She went to work in 1967 for Ottawa University as secretary for the chaplain, dean and later the president and worked there for more than 20 years.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Ottawa, its United Methodist Women, Sarah Circle and Hand Bell Choir. She was a charter member of the GL, P.E.O. Sisterhood in Ottawa. She had been a 4-H leader and enjoyed reading, sewing and playing bridge with several clubs.

A son, Noel David Bigelow, also preceded her in death.Surviving are two daughters, Lana Jane Kriss of Springfield, Mo., and Lisa Bowman of Wichita; two sisters, Evelyn Reading of Edmond, Okla., and Georgia Pulhamus of La Cygne; and four grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today (Wednesday) at Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home in Ottawa. Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the church, and burial will be in Osawatomie Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the church and sent in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067.