Charles Rupert Biggs

Charles Rupert Biggs, age 84, of Berkeley Springs, WV, died on Friday, November 2, 2012, at Winchester Medical Center.

Born April 21, 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania he was the son of the late John, Jr. and Anna Vaughan Swift Rupert Biggs.

He was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Berkeley Springs.

He attended Wilmington Friends School in Wilmington, Delaware, and received a B.S. in 1950 and an M.S. in 1951 from Princeton University.

Biggs was a licensed Professional Engineer in New York and New Jersey and a licensed Professional Planner in New Jersey.

He worked for Fay, Spofford, and Thorndike Engineers, ITT, and Frazier Industrial Corporation before starting his own firm, Biggs Engineering Associates, in Washington, New Jersey.

After his retirement, Biggs moved to Berkeley Springs, where he was active in a variety of volunteer organizations.

He served on the boards of the Sleepy Creek Watershed Association, the Cacapon State Park Foundation, and the Solid Waste Authority.

The Charles R. Biggs Recycling Center was named in his honor. He was also a Master Gardener and Treasurer of the Berkeley Springs Farmers Market.

“Few people can imagine the amount of work Charlie did for the County as a volunteer on the Morgan County Solid Waste Authority,” said Bert Lustig. “It started way before the Recycling Center. In addition to being treasurer, year after year, for what amounted to a full-scale small business, Charlie took all the jobs that involved time consuming real work. The Charles Biggs Recycling Center is a fitting, albeit barely sufficient, tribute to that service.”

“When Charles R. Biggs passed away on November 2, 2012, he left a huge hole in the Morgan County community,” said Gale Foulds. “Charlie believed all residents, both natives and newcomers, could and should work together to keep this county natural, rural and clean, as most newcomers found it.”

“He not only talked environmental awareness, he lived it,” Foulds said. “Charlie spent the years he lived here making a difference in residents’ thinking, using education and example. He faithfully participated in stream and roadside clean ups several times each year. He joined tree planting projects which helped protect the creeks and waterways throughout the county. He believed that recycling was something we should all do, and it became a priority of his.”

“For several years he could be found every weekend following the recycling wagon and helping residents learn to recycle and to dispose of trash responsibly. Charlie felt so strongly about recycling that he helped the Morgan County Solid Waste Authority write grants and obtain land and funding to establish a permanent recycling center in Berkeley Springs. Charlie was a working member of many Morgan County organizations – the Sleepy Creek Watershed Association, the Farmers’ Market, Cacapon State Park Foundation, Master Gardeners, the Solid Waste Authority, and others over the years.”

“Charlie never faltered in his belief that if we all work together toward a common goal, we can make this community better for each resident. Those of us who were fortunate enough to know and work with Charlie have been privileged, and we will miss him.”

Joe Mogus recalled that the last conversation he had with Biggs was just a few weeks ago.

The subject was the controversial proposed Snake Eyes Lane housing development at the south end of the county.

“Charley’s last words to me – ‘Will fight em, Joe’”

“Charley Biggs was that kind of guy,” Mogus said.

Charles Biggs is survived by his wife of 61 years, Margaret Susan Ashton Biggs, at home.

Four children – Charles Rupert Biggs II of Knoxville, Tennessee, Margaret Biggs Gordon of Berkeley Springs, Frederick Massey Biggs of Storrs, Connecticut and Elizabeth Vaughan Biggs of Williamsville, Virginia.

One sister – Anna Biggs Pierce, Fall River, Massachusetts.

One sister-in-law – Ann Atwood Biggs of Wilmington, Delaware.

And seven grandchildren – Charles Grahe Danko of Ithaca, New York, Elizabeth Ashton Danko, of Alexandria, Virginia, Anna Spencer Gordon and John Williams Gordon, both of Berkeley Springs, Elizabeth Cecilia Biggs and Catriona Margaret Biggs, both of London, England and Mary Titchner Biggs of Knoxville, Tennessee, and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, John Biggs III.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 17, 2012 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 180 S. Washington Street, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 with the Rev. Frank Coe officiating.

Private interment will be in Bethel Cemetery, Middletown, Delaware.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church or to The Charles R. Biggs Recycling Center, 180 S. Washington Street, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411.

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