Rita Louise Bigger

Rita Louise Bigger, 87, of Mason City and formerly Nora Springs, passed away peacefully Sunday, July 13, 2025, at Manly Specialty Care. A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 119 S Georgia Ave., with Rev. Judy Eilders officiating. A visitation will be held an hour prior at the church. Inurnment will be in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Memorials may be directed towards the Mason City Public Library or the Lime Creek Nature Center.

Rita Louise (Larsen) Bigger was born in Waverly, Iowa, on October 9, 1937, to parents Arnold Carl Larsen and Edith Fae (Linn) Larsen. She graduated from University High School, on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, in 1955.

Rita attended UNI for one year. She married Harlan Wayne Bigger on September 1, 1956, in Cedar Falls. Harlan and Rita were married for 55 years, and were blessed with five children: Bradley Wayne Bigger, Terry D. Schultz, Brett Arnold Bigger, Jeaneal C (Bigger) Weeks, and Michael Wayne Bigger.

Rita worked for many years as secretary to the high school principal at Nora Springs-Rock Falls school. She was a good listener and offered encouragement to generations of students. After retiring from Nora Springs-Rock Falls, Rita worked at Music Man Square, where she welcomed visitors and served as a docent for Meredith Willson’s boyhood home.

Rita was a voracious reader and a prolific writer. She wrote a column called “In Other Words” for the Nora Springs Advertiser. She thoroughly enjoyed working with John Skipper of the Globe Gazette to hone her writing. Rita was active in music and theatre. She sang many church solos and appeared in plays at the Mason City Community Theatre, including the 1967-68 production of The Music Man.

The Biggers lived on an acreage on the Shell Rock River that Rita affectionately named Squirrel Haven. Rita and Harlan accepted all who came to stay, including many exchange students and others who needed help at various times in their lives. Squirrel Haven was also home to many generations of cats and dogs. Her cat Kitly was her faithful companion as Rita lived with Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis.

Rita will be forever remembered for her open arms and love for family. She will be greatly missed.

Rita is survived by children Terry D. Schultz (Cathy Hatfield), Brett A. Bigger, Jeaneal C (Bigger) Weeks (Patrick), and Michael W. Bigger (Denise Nix); grandchildren Tarah Hamlyn (Keegan), Evan Schultz, Bradly Bigger (Jenny), Angela Bigger (Jay), Marshall Weeks (Rachel), Isaiah Bigger, and Kiley Bigger; great-grandchildren Korra Hamlyn, Ronan, Xavier, and Sebastian Bigger, and Hazel and Clara Weeks; sister Jean Schaible, and nephew Steve Schaible (Kevan).

Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Arnold and Edith Larsen; her husband, Harlan Wayne Bigger; her in-laws, Elzie and Eva Bigger; her son, Bradley Bigger; and her nephew, Ben Schaible.