Dr. Charles "Charlie" R. Biggerstaff

Dr. Charles “Charlie” Ross Biggerstaff passed away on Thursday, June 20, 2024 at home surrounded by family. Born in Kannapolis, NC on February 8, 1947, Charles was the son, and only child, of the late Ross Junior Biggerstaff and Evelyn Ruth Sloop.

After attending Jackson Park Elementary School and A.L. Brown High School, he graduated from both the School of Pharmacy and the School of Dentistry at UNC-Chapel Hill. While there, he married his high school sweetheart, Janet Richardson, who also attended UNC for Dental Hygiene. After Charles and Jan graduated, he was invited to Wilmington, NC to join his dental school classmate and close friend Hank Barden to start a practice together. As partners, Charles and Hank developed a thriving dental practice. The practice was so successful that Charles bought out Hank's half and Hank purchased the building next door. They continued to practice side by side for over 30 years.

Even more important than his dedication to dentistry, Charles accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and he displayed that life change to everyone around him. He was an amazing husband, father, and Papa. He volunteered his time to Pine Valley Baptist Church as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and youth ski trip chaperone. He helped practically anyone who needed dental care at any time, and participated in dental mission trips to Ukraine and Germany. He served in and took leadership roles in Men’s Bible Study Fellowship for many years. He and Jan also participated in Community Bible Study, as well as other small groups centered around God’s word and attended Port City Community Church with his family for over 17 years.

Charles was an avid outdoorsman, choosing to spend his time in the woods, up a tree, or in a freezing duck blind, to enjoy his favorite pastime, hunting. He also enjoyed many ski trips with family and friends to the mountains of NC, WV, and CO. Charles enjoyed playing golf up until the day he realized he ended up more frustrated at the end of a round than he was happy. (We think he mostly enjoyed just being outside and walking the course.) Charles was a long-time member of the North Carolina Dental Society until he retired in 2012. Despite all he was known for, the first thing most would think when they hear the name Charlie Biggerstaff (or C.R., as Hank would call him) is “Carolina Tarheel through and through.” Charles and Jan started a true Tar Heel family as both Mande and Chad followed in their parents’ footsteps to UNC. Charles celebrated his 57th wedding anniversary to the love of his life, Jan, on June 10th. He was also able to celebrate his last Father’s Day with family and a ginormous piece of coconut cake.

Charles loved the Lord. He had a life well lived and he is no longer suffering from the health challenges of this world. We miss him now, but we will see him again one day. Charles will always be remembered for his generosity, his hard work, and his dedication to his family and beloved grandchildren.

Charles is survived by his wife, Janet Richardson Biggerstaff; daughter, Amanda (Mande) Biggerstaff Barden, son-in-law, Christopher Hayes Barden; son, Charles (Chad) Richardson Biggerstaff; daughter-in law, Julie Dalrymple Biggerstaff; all of Wilmington, NC, and four grandchildren: Hayes Barden and Laney, Charlee, and Malik Biggerstaff. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Joan Godwin; niece, Kelly Goodman (Gordon), and other extended family.

If you feel led, memorials may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation: https://www.parkinson.org/ , Port City Community Church: https://www.portcity.church/ or Vigilant Hope: https://vigilanthope.com/ . Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at Dignity Memorial for the Biggerstaff family.

A visitation for Charles will be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at Port City Community Church, 250 Vision Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403.