Carol Jean Bigler June 23, 1943 - June 12, 2026

Carol Jean Bigler passed away peacefully on June 12, 2026, at her home in Mapleton, Utah, surrounded by her loving family after complications from pneumonia. She was born on June 23, 1943, in Ogden, Utah, to James Edward Saunders and Erma Read.

Carol was the fourth of seven children: Karlene, Barbara, Larry, Sharon, Read, and Mark. She treasured her childhood in Ogden, surrounded by the large Saunders family, countless beloved aunts and uncles, and an incredible seventy-five first cousins who filled her early years with love and adventure. When Carol was eight years old, her father accepted a position with McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, and the family moved to Southern California.

Carol graduated from Redondo Beach High School in 1961, where she proudly participated on the drill team known as the “Sea Hens.” After graduation, she attended El Camino Community College to study nursing before transferring to Brigham Young University.

Shortly after arriving in Provo, Carol met Dee Jay Bigler in a story that became family legend. Dee Jay and a friend had been knocking on doors looking for cute girls, but Carol wasn’t home. A few nights later, after returning from a date, she walked into her apartment to find Dee Jay sitting there playing his guitar. Assuming he was interested in one of her roommates, she was surprised to learn he had actually been waiting for her. They met in the fall, became engaged on Valentine’s Day, and were married on August 7, 1963, in the Salt Lake Temple, beginning a love story that would span more than six decades.

Carol possessed a remarkable work ethic and held many jobs throughout her life, from babysitting and ironing for neighbors to working in an ice cream shop, pharmacies, Greyhound Bus, selling Avon, and eventually spending 28 years with Utah County’s Motor Vehicle Department. She was also an exceptional seamstress, creating clothing for her children and handmade blankets and crocheted quilts for each grandchild.

Carol and Dee Jay raised their four children in Mapleton, where they spent more than 56 years in the home they loved. Carol embraced motherhood with her whole heart, creating an unforgettable childhood filled with love, traditions, laughter, and unwavering support. As the family grew, Sunday afternoons at Grandma’s became a cherished tradition. Card games filled the tables, cousins ran through the yard, homemade treats were always waiting in the kitchen, and birthdays meant one of Grandma’s beautifully decorated cakes made especially for the guest of honor.

Growing up in Southern California hardly prepared Carol for the adventures that awaited her with Dee Jay. She was a good sport, even spending her honeymoon on an elk bow hunt, and soon came to love camping, fishing trips, and hunting traditions. Her famous deer camp pancakes remain legendary among the grandchildren. She enthusiastically supported her children and grandchildren in every sporting event, even traveling to Cooperstown, New York, to watch a grandson play baseball.

After Dee Jay taught her to play golf, the game became one of Carol’s greatest joys. She celebrated a hole-in-one at East Bay Golf Course and treasured years of golfing with her daughter, sister, and friends through the Hobble Creek Women’s Golf Association. During the winter months she enjoyed bowling, recording a high game of 220. What began as a hobby became a family tradition that continues today. Carol and Dee Jay were also devoted BYU basketball fans, faithfully attending games at the Marriott Center for over 40 years.

Carol had a deep testimony of the Savior and quietly shared her faith through example. She served faithfully in numerous church callings, but her greatest passion was family history work. Beginning with the Church’s pilot indexing program in 1983, she devoted nearly forty years to indexing more than 1.8 million names and preparing over 72,000 individuals for temple ordinances. She sought no recognition, only the satisfaction of helping others. Her family often joked that when she arrived in heaven, she would be greeted by countless people whose lives she had touched through her faithful service.

Carol is survived by her children: Drew (Ashley) of Elk Ridge, Utah; Dirk (Stacie) of Ammon, Idaho; Dori Palmer of Salem, Utah; and daughter-in-law Jeannett of Payson, Utah. She leaves behind 19 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and two more great-grandchildren on the way. She is also survived by her brother Read (Coleen) Saunders of St. David, Arizona.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dee Jay Bigler; her parents, James Edward Saunders and Erma Read; her son, Devan Bigler; son-in-law Kenneth Palmer; granddaughter Kayla Jean Palmer; and siblings Karlene Tupa, Barbara Watkins, Larry Saunders, Sharon Fuhr, and Mark Saunders.

A viewing will be held on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 187 South Main, Spanish Fork, Utah. Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Mapleton 23rd Ward Chapel, 1050 North 300 West, Mapleton, Utah, with a viewing from 9:30–10:45 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Springville.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Adrianna and Monique of Symbii Hospice, the compassionate caregivers from Always Best Care, Valoy Fowlke, Iuliana Safronova, and niece Chris Lee for the exceptional love, kindness, and support they provided during Carol’s final days.