Chuck Bigger

Chuck(Charles) he hated being called Charles, always said it was too official and made him think he was in trouble. Chuck J Bigger, 58 of Selinsgrove, Pa left us all way too soon and broken hearted on June 29th 2025 after a courageous, hard fought battle with the “demon bitch” aka cancer. It’s hard to sum up how much of an amazing, exceptional person Chuck was in a few blurbs, so I am going to try my best, he deserves that.

Chuck was born on January 25th 1967 in Muncy, Pa to Rosie and Sonny Bigger. The only boy in a family of girls. He grew up in Eagles Mere, Sullivan County, Pa. Growing up in Sullivan County there wasn’t alot to do except raise a little hell, hang with his friends and work. He did all of those things. He worked from the age of 12 alongside his dad in the family businesses and kept that work ethic through adulthood. He enjoyed fast loud cars and when he was a teenager bought and restored a 1957 Chevy that he was very proud of. When he drove to school you would hear him long before you seen him. Loud and fast motorcycles were also a weakness for him and he had 1 that he was very proud of. A friend of his painted his tank and he loved it. Until he decided to try and outrun a deer in July 1985.

Deer died but he ended up with a broken ankle and LOTS of road rash and his beloved bike wrecked. Normally you would see him with his cousin John Smith or buddy Jim Hartman. And all 3 of them would be ripping around on their loud bikes and fast cars. Chuck graduated in 1985 from SCHS and Vo-Tech where he studied Auto Body. Not a fan of school, he excelled @ Vo-Tech. A senior in high school in Aug of 1984 he met his wife, Lisa.

Not really wanting to be bothered with a girlfriend(he had better things to do he’d tell her) he held off for months, 8 to be exact, to her chasing, nagging, stalking and fighting with him, before he finally gave in and took her on an unofficial “hang out date” he wanted to see if she was worth it. She knew from the 1st time she saw him walking into that classroom with his non chalant almost cocky attitude that he was the one, she was hooked. Chuck did admit to her after they made things official that he liked her BUT it wasn’t cool to his friends to having a girlfriend, BUT it was cool to his friends to see a girl throwing herself at him and chase him.

A young father at the age of 19, they welcomed their 1st son in 1986. Chuck was scared to be a new dad but he was also so proud, so proud in fact that 10months later they welcomed their second son in 1987. Chuck asked Lisa several times to marry him, but this time she played hard to get and would tell him she didn’t want to get married just because they had kids. They had ups and downs like every young couple, childish behaviors but finally, after 2 expired marriage licenses and Chuck telling her if she didn’t marry him he was never asking again, In typical Chuck and Lisa style she waited until the day before their license was running out and said OK, let’s do it, to Chuck’s surprise. Loaded the boys up, got his sister Nanette, never telling her what they were doing but they needed a witness, so on August 30th 1988 off to the JP they went and got married

While raising his 2 boys he was always trying to better himself with work. He worked at Fitzpatrick & Lambert for a few years as an auto body technician, drove a mail truck with his dad, hauled Christmas trees,cleaned cars whatever he could do to make extra money.

At the age of 21, the “truck driving” bug that was in his blood from his dad caught him. He got his CDL and started driving. He drove a coal truck for a local company for a year or so but then, the Oversize Load bit him, something he had also grown up with his dad. Chuck bought his 1st truck and went on the road with his dad for knowledge and guidance. He had long days living in Sullivan County and pulling “wide loads” as most factories were around Selinsgrove. In July 1989 they moved to Selinsgrove, even though I had a hard time moving from family, he knew it was the right move and promised her it would all be ok, and it was.

In August of 1989 they welcomed their 3rd son, and then in March of 1992 they finally had a daughter. Lisa kept saying she wanted a daughter and Chuck, well, he would say we already had 3 boys, did we need more? Lisa won! The day she was born was very chaotic, especially for Chuck. He was always there for our kids births BUT wasn’t a fan of being “involved” in the birth stuff. Having to get an emergency c-section Chuck had a hard time, Lisa can still see him sweating profusely, looking like he was going to pass out, all pale, , asking her how she wasn’t freaking out at all the “noises” and the play by play dictating to what was happening. When she was born and they asked if he wanted to hold her, he told them no, clean her up first and he’d go to the room and wait. Not one to handle the messy stuff he did just that.

He was a very proud dad, again. He had a little girl. Chuck never enjoyed diaper changes with the boys, but he would do it, but it was harder with a girl and her “girl parts” as he called them, so he would avoid as many as he could.

Chuck was always trying to better himself, always looking for the better money making jobs, he always worked hard, sometimes doing things he hated, like going to Connecticut or any of the New England states. Back in the day they were hard places to be taking wide loads. But, he busted his ass always looking for a better living, all the while raising his family and trying to juggle work and family time. He did his best to not miss school activities as his kids were growing up. Soccer, baseball, football, field hockey, choral concerts, field days, vacations, he made sure he was at as many as he could, even if that meant missing a good trip and having to work harder to make up for that. Many times he would drive all night to get home so he could sleep a few hours and attend whatever they had going on. Over the years watching him with their kids was amazing. Never an iron fisted, screaming, punishing dad he would calmly teach them about things. A lot of times not saying anything, just them watching how he would handle situations. He taught them how to work on junk cars, which they had a lot of, servicing his big truck, to stupid things their kids would do. He always knew when we would hear things that happened, that somehow their kids were involved. There were times we would argue because I would say, NOT our kids. and he would laugh and say, “ok, but I’m telling you they were involved” and he was RIGHT! More times than not, he was right! He of course was never shocked when they would find out our kids were involved, I would ask him how did you know? And, with his smart ass crooked smile would say he just knew, they were kids and they were going to do dumb shit and hope they didn’t get caught, even though I thought they were angels, which in fact they weren’t.

Unless they did things that they or someone else could get hurt doing he never punished them in the normal punishing way. He always said they had to do their screw ups, even though they knew better but hopefully they’d learn from them and if they didn’t see how dumb it was, shame on them. Chuck also did his best to be home to teach, guide and mentor them in his calm, gentle, non judgmental way. Even though, sometimes, he would in fact being home to deal with some of the dumb stuff. He taught all 4 kids to drive because I wouldn’t ride with them(he was MUCH braver than I was and he’d just say, “I’ll ride with anybody, who cares?”) Through those driving lessons he also had to deal with me criticizing him of the kids driving skills. His favorite comeback would be, “do you want to teach them?” NOPE! Not a chance, carry on! Chuck was home for most of their driving tests. As each kid got their licenses he would say, ok another 1 we don’t have to run, then calmly bitch because of insurance prices. But he was always so proud when they got them. The maddest I remember him being was when our 2nd son lost his license about 1 month after he got it! That kid had been waiting to drive since he was like 5 years old and Chuck was also. He had him moving his big truck around since he was little. But, being a kid and doing dumb stuff he lost it. Chuck was upset, not so much that he lost his license, but because he had waited for it for so long! The next time was when their oldest got a speeding ticket in a car going 72 when he insisted the car went no faster than 55! At the dinner table the night we found out he got the ticket, Chuck sternly said, well as stern as he was said “NO MORE SPEEDING tickets, no tickets period or your paying for the insurance” little did we know, and we should have known because all the kids got terrified looks, while trying not to look at each other that he had gotten another speeding ticket. But again, Chuck handled the news in true Chuck fashion. Ok they were dumb, move on. He proudly watched them grow into the amazing adults they all are today. And they are the adults and parents they are today because of him. Always the gentle, quiet, guiding understanding dad they needed and went to. Even when he knew they were doing things they shouldn’t he was the calm cool collected dad, which would sometimes throw them off. They thought when they got “busted” for doing dumb stuff there would be hell to pay, which from me, there was, but not Chuck. He was different. He was a wonderful teacher even when he didn’t know it, to all of us. I learned from him to not sweat the small stuff. Get over things. He used to drive me crazy with his don’t care, it’s not worth it attitude. I would argue with him and ask How are you not pissed? Aren’t you pissed? Nope, he just wouldn’t let things get to him. Our kids grew up with his values and knowledge for so many life lessons. Those same values reflected in his work ethics. He was proud of how he did his job, never boastful or a show off or wanting a big pat on the back , he helped other drivers and dealers and his dispatchers to the best of his ability. He made many wonderful friends who have been there with/for him/us all these years and especially now in this battle he has been fighting.

As proud as he was with our kids and his work, when our grandkids started coming along he changed. Being a Pop Pop was his greatest blessing. Our 1st was a granddaughter, and I watched him slowly changing, he wanted to be home more . He would say to me, he was home as best he could when our kids were little, but the grandkids were different. Things that as a parent he “had” to do, he WANTED to be there to see, enjoy and be a true part of.

And he did, he started slowing down so he was home more. Sometimes only working a few days a week and making plans to do something/anything with the grandbabies. Even if it was just sitting around the house. We have been blessed with 6 granddaughters and 1 grandson. He was sooo excited for our grandson’s 1st Christmas, in Wal-Mart he said, “I finally get to buy something other than damn dolls.” He went through 4 granddaughters before we got our grandson so he had a lot of doll buying years. And then we had 2 more granddaughters. He was ecstatic though that our granddaughters enjoyed doing the “tom boy” things also. Riding 4 wheelers, building things, being out in the garage with him getting dirty, riding on his motorcycle, driving the golf cart, anything he loved doing with them and taught them. A favorite might be what we lovingly call “Bigger rigging” Inside joke to all of us.

He proudly got to attend lots of softball, football, basketball, field hockey games. Our youngest 2 granddaughters love fishing, he went to fishing tournaments, sat for hours watching them and our grandson at the 1st days of trout fishing for hours and was so proud of how well they do.

Our oldest 2 granddaughters graduated in 2024. He was so over the moon watching them walk across that stage. He was diagnosed in 2022 and was scared he may not see them. But he did, and then he got to see our oldest head off to college, the 1st in our family. Our 2nd he got to see her secure a good job she loves and settle into adulthood.

With his positive out look on this horrible disease, he would say I’m going to see the kids graduate, go to college, get married etc. You and I, we are going to have 50 more years together. I’m going to be here. Never a big Christmas nut, you might say he dreaded it, haha but he always dealt with my obsession of lots of lights, even though he HATED hanging them he would do it, asking if we could do it in like September when it was warm. He handled my craziness of having the “perfect” tree, spending hours walking around tree lots while I would drive him crazy with each tree that he’d say “what about this one,whats wrong with his one? When you get ornaments on it you wont see that little hole!” And again, he was right. Then the presents, LOTS and LOTS of presents and my continuos Hallmark Christmas movies from October to January. But these last few years he looked forward to all my craziness of Christmas, even asking “are you ready to do the lights?” He looked forward to every holiday, birthday or just anything for all of us to be together. Even when we would be inside and everyone would be talking over each other, the grandkids playing LOUDLY to the point you thought your head would explode from all the chaos, he would just sit, watching and listening to everyone smiling.

I hope I have embraced what an amazing, loving, gentle, friendly, helpful, kind person Chuck was. But honestly, our daughter summed it up the best.

Her words are the man we all knew, looked up to and loved so much.

Chuck is survived by Lisa, his wife. They would have celebrated 37 years of marriage on August 30th. He is lovingly survived by 4 children, Corey, (Brandy), Cody, Joe, Kaitlyn, (Mick, who is so much like Chuck) Nairns, and 7 grandbabies, Carrera, Braylynn, Sadi, Charlee, Liam, Cassidy and Sydney. He also has 2 men that he helped raise that he considered his own, Carson(Steph) Leitzel Jr and Andrew Laughman.

My family and I have suffered an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are completely shattered. We will be unavailable this week as we take time to grieve and navigate through this. We will do our best to respond as soon as we are able to. Thank you for your understanding and compassion during this difficult time.

They say the greatest ones are taken too soon. And now I know just how true that is.
Dad, you were everything—our protector, our guide, our steady place in an unsteady world. Your love was quiet but powerful, your wisdom unspoken but always felt. You taught by example, loved without condition, and gave without expecting anything in return.
Though your time here was far too short, your presence will echo through every part of our lives. You were the kind of man who didn’t need to say much to be deeply understood.
We miss you more than words can express, but we carry you with us—in our choices, in our memories, and in our hearts.
I know you'll make sure to give Macy all the snuggles for us.
We love you so much, Dad.

His mother, Rosie, sisters Keeley Bigger, Deeanna Avato and Nanette Bigger

Mother in law Peggy, Minnier whom he shared a special bond with over the last few years.

Sister in law, Dawn(Pete) Umstead, Ed(Brandy)Minnier

He also had a special bond with Julie Norton

Nieces and nephews: Jeremy(Lauren) Edkin, Dillon(Madison) Minnier Keegan(Kristin) Carey, Des Carey, Peter Umstead, Erika(Brandon) Shaffer,& Lindsay(Devin) Harshman.

And many great nieces and great nephews.
He is survived by several cousins and their families

He was pre-deceased by his dad, Sonny in 2018, a loss he never truly got over, grandparents Harriet and George Smith and Ella and Sidney Bigger, father in law Ed Minnier , brother in law Mike Avato and several aunts, uncles and cousins

Over the years he had made several friendships/bonds with drivers and oversize load escorts who have been there for us during this trying time that we so greatly appreciate. But there were 2 who messaged, called, gave positive uplifting genuine concern and love on an almost daily basis that he looked forward to, who I need to acknowledge as they were his go to’s.

Les Lyons, you and Chuck formed a brotherhood years ago that he relied on. You were his best friend and he in these last few months he hated that he felt so not himself and he couldn’t come see you. He never wanted to let you know how shitty he was feeling or how scared he was getting because he didn’t want to make you feel bad especially if he would cry. He always said you were the brother he never had but was so grateful that he did and he loved you. Your friendship meant so much to him.

Cindy Trevitz, where do I start with what you meant to him? In the years that we have known you, you were so much more than a co-worker. You were his confidant, things that he couldn’t or wouldn’t say to me, he knew he could tell you and you would understand. When he was feeling down or scared he would tell me he needed Cindy time. After he would talk to you he always felt better, more calm. Like Les, the last few months he would feel bad for not reaching out enough, said he would cry and he didn’t want you to deal with a bawl baby but you were here when he was losing his battle, and it was you that he confided in to tell you, “I think I’m downshifting gears” A truck driver through and through.

I’m sorry if I’m not mentioning everyone who has been here for us, our families, friends, even people that we didn’t personally know but would reach out, send prayers food and so much more. All the love and support for our amazing husband, dad, and pop pop is so appreciated, THANK YOU ALL.

Chuck, I hope you know forever and ever what you mean to me, to all of us. You are my soulmate, I knew it from the 1st time I saw you. You are my best friend, my confidant, my calm, my universe. We grew up together, had a wonderful marriage, loved each other fiercely, and made a beautiful family. Over these years you taught me patience and understanding . Your sense of humor made me so happy. All of us. You, in your own way, taught us so much even when you didn’t know it. You would, when I would tell you that you were my hero, say “Yea ok” and shrug it off. But you were! You kept such a positive attitude through all of this “demon bitch” battle. You always picked yourself back up, you pushed yourself, until you couldn’t no more. You would get your treatments, then go help Corey with his work, or help Joe or Cody with whatever they were doing, or Katie and Mick with their ice cream truck and whatever the grandkids were doing. But you just wanted to be with us, battling through it all. I am, and always will be soooo proud of you, you were fighting so hard for all of us. We weren’t those people who had big plans of what we were going to do, travel the world, go on cruises etc, that wasn’t us all we wanted was just a quiet life to grow older together,(making fun of each other with our aches and pains) love, respect, smile, laugh, sit in the backyard around the fire with a few cold one, watch the kids with their families, be there for the grandkids watch them as they grew up and start their lives, and just be us in our easy “boring” loving world. I struggle every second of every day, with the why? We talked about this so many times when we were alone, why you? We cried together, something that broke my heart every single time you thought you must have done something to deserve this. But that is the furthest thing from the truth!

You were a great man! we always tried to be understanding respectful people. But you would question yourself and say you must have done something bad for God to do this to you/us? To our family, the family that needs you so bad. I don’t have that answer and I don’t think I ever will. I know people say he has a bigger plan, but I think ours was perfect.

Thank you for loving me and our family. I promise I will do my best to make sure we all live like you would want us to. We love you so much

If you were lucky enough to know Chuck, I hope you remember him in the best way. Because he was, in fact the BEST.

We will be hosting a memorial for Chuck, we have a Facebook page, Honoring the Life and Legacy of Chuck "Cj" Bigger on August 30th @ 2pm @ our home. If you'd like to attend please reach out to us or go to the Facebook page.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Hughesville Funeral Home & Cremation Services Inc, 5069 Route 220 Hwy, Hughesville.  To share a memory or condolence for the family please visit, www.hughesvillefuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Chuck Bigger, please visit our floral store.