Tuesday’s finance and administration committee meeting began with a personal note, with meeting chair and Ward 7 Coun. Mike Jakubo offering Mayor Brian Bigger their condolences.
Leo Josef Bigger, a long-time city employee who retired in 1993, who is also the mayor’s father, died at the age of 91 following a short stay at Maison McCulloch Hospice.
“Our most heartfelt condolences to Mayor Bigger and his entire family at this difficult time,” Jakubo said. “We all understand the importance of taking the time necessary around these events that we all know we will have to experience at some point in time, but never makes it easier.”
Leo was born in Vilters, Switzerland, and came to Canada in 1952, according to his obituary. He met Igne Mary Binz, married and made Sudbury their home where they raised three sons.
He worked for Inco and Falconbridge and ran his own landscaping business before taking a full-time job with the City of Sudbury, which he ended as manager of special projects with the parks and recreation department in 1993.
Mayor Bigger had been serving as primary caregiver to both of his parents in recent months, with both Leo and Inge relocating to Sudbury during the pandemic to be closer to him.
With the mayor absent from last week’s city council meeting, Deputy Mayor and Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann explained that his absence was a result of his father entering hospice care.
“I know we are all thinking about the mayor and his family during this very difficult time,” she said at the time.
Although the mayor has been absent from recent meetings to care for his parents, he clarified to Sudbury.com last week that his mayoral duties have been fulfilled. He thanked Landry-Altmann and Al Sizer for filling in through their alternating role as deputy mayor.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Jakubo relayed that Bigger’s family will be holding a private funeral for Leo and that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Maison McCullough Hospice and the Northeast Cancer Centre.
