John F. Biggerstaff, Jr. of Commerce, Texas died September 28, 2023. He was born December 17, 1943, in Charlotte, North Carolina. His parents were John F. Biggerstaff and Jean Carroll Biggerstaff. He attended High School at Greenhill School in Dallas and Pierce High School in Richardson. He earned a bachelors degree in Business from Louisiana Tech University and a masters in Management from the University of Southern California. Since his father was a professional pilot, a captain with American Airlines, the family often moved. By the time he was out of high school, he had lived in or been in about 40 different States. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1962 and became a Medical Administrative Specialist, serving a year in Southeast Asia and Vietnam. He left active duty in January 1970 and enlisted in the reserves. As a reservist, he performed the duties of a First Sergeant at the USAF Regional Hospital, Grissom AFB, Indiana, while he was employed as the Executive Housekeeper of the County Hospital in Wabash, Indiana.
He re-entered active duty in the Air Force in September 1971 and married on September 30, 1971. The couple was married for almost 52 years. Their first duty station was Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. He had three stepchildren.
While working days at the Barksdale AFB Hospital, he attended college classes in the evenings. In 1975 he was selected, in an Air Force wide competition, for a direct commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps. One day he was a Staff Sergeant, the next a 2nd Lieutenant. Three years later, he was reassigned to the Barksdale Hospital, and became commander of the same squadron he had been in before he was commissioned. He retired from the Air Force at the Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX, in July 1985 with the rank of Captain, after serving his country for 23 years. He earned five decorations for outstanding service: Twice he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and three times he was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Following his military career, he settled in Commerce, TX, where he was the CEO/Administrator of the local hospital. Three years later, he became the CEO/Administrator of the Hunt Memorial Hospital District, which included a 150-bed hospital in Greenville, the 30-bed hospital in Commerce, and the countywide paramedic level ambulance service. In 1990, he and his wife started and operated two businesses in Commerce: CDs Plus (a recorded music store) and The Commerce News (a local bi-weekly newspaper that his wife published).
He was a Life Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and a past president of the Commerce Chamber of Commerce, the Commerce Kiwanis Club, and the Northeast Texas Military Officers Association of America Chapter (MOAA). From there, he went on to be elected First Vice President of the Texas Council of Chapters (MOAA). He held life memberships in the Air Force Association and MOAA. In addition, he had been a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and was for several years the 1st Vice Commander of the historic Commerce American Legion Post # 1. He was a member of the Commerce First Baptist Church. He was a life-long golf enthusiast. He was three times elected to the Hunt Memorial Hospital District Board of Directors.
He was preceded in death by his parents and great grandson Liam Bridges.
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A private family memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the MOAA Scholarship Fund at The MOAA Scholarship Fund, PO Box 1824, Merrifield, VA 22116-9917, or online at https://charities.moaa.org/get-involved/Give/ by choosing The MOAA Scholarship Fund.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/killeen-tx/john-biggerstaff-11479180