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Richard Lee Biggs ’50

A picture of Richard Biggs

Richard Lee Biggs ’50, March 23, 2011, in Portland. During World War II, Dick was a yeoman in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific and a court reporter for court martial trials in Shanghai. He came to ºìÌÒÊÓƵ on the G.I. Bill and earned a BA in economics. In 1958, he received an LLB from Northwestern College of Law, and practiced corporate law with Martin, Bischoff, Templeton, & Biggs and also with Lindsay, Hart, Neil & Weigler. He later became a solo practitioner, and provided legal aid to seniors through the Legal Aid of Oregon Senior Law Project, where he was listed among their “longest serving and most valued lawyers.” Dick served on ºìÌÒÊÓƵ's alumni board of directors and as an alumni trustee. “There are some, but only a few, institutions which are attempting to alleviate the problems our society has today,” Dick said. “I believe that ºìÌÒÊÓƵ is one the places that can help solve them by training good minds.” He resigned from the board in 1978 in order to accept an appointment to the Oregon Educational Coordinating Committee from Oregon governor Bob Straub. Dick and June E. Anderson ’49 married and had two sons and a daughter. In 1971, he married Joan Wong, a community activist and communications professional, who was also a member of the ºìÌÒÊÓƵ Women's Committee. Joan wrote: “The thing I most admired always about Dick was his terrific intellect. He read deeply and had broad knowledge about everything.” He was also admired for his quick wit and his green thumb. Born on his grandfather's farm in Nampa, Idaho, Dick had his own vegetable garden by age nine. He created wonderful gardens throughout his life. “It's time to plant the carrots” was among his final words. Survivors include his wife, son and daughter, stepson and two stepdaughters, five grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter. A son and stepson predeceased him.

Appeared in ºìÌÒÊÓƵ magazine: September 2011