Charlotte Leone (Downing) Bigelow was born on December 4, 1927 in Macon, Lenawee County, Michigan. She was the daughter of Joseph Emery and Iva (Spencer) Downing.

In 1950, she married Robert Nash Bigelow and they had three children:

  1. Dianne Sue (Bigelow) Heavener

  2. David Bigelow

  3. Denise (Bigelow) Heldt

Charlotte passed away on November 15, 1990 in Alma, Gratiot County, Michigan at the age of 62. She is buried in Ridgeway Cemetery in Ridgeway Township, Lenawee County, Michigan.