Saratoga Springs and Glen Cove, NY - Norman Bigman, 77, died on September 17, 2020 at Saratoga Hospital.

Norman was born January 25, 1943 in Brooklyn, NY to the late Benjamin and Lilly Bigman. He was the youngest of three children including sister Rosalie and brother Aaron. His father passed away when Norman was eight years old. Norman married Ruth Gilman on July 25, 1964. He received his Associates Degree from Queensborough Community College in 1962 (where he was in the inaugural class) and later earned his Bachelor's Degree with honors from New York University in 1965.

Norman and Ruth spent most of their married life in Glen Cove, NY where they raised their family until moving to Saratoga Springs in 2018.

Norman's life represented the American dream. His parents immigrated to the United States from Eastern Europe to escape religious persecution. Starting his career as a high school industrial arts teacher, Norman subsequently joined a commercial construction and design firm, Environment Research and Development Corporation. Through hard work and a talent for achieving his clients' goals, he rose to become head of the Construction Division in his early thirties. He later co-founded his own company, Planned Management Construction. Over the years, Norman completed projects throughout the United States for companies such as Mitsubishi, Richemond, Emblem Health, and Tiffany & Co., among many others. Later, he continued to serve clients as a trusted consultant for Gannon Vitolo Contracting in New York City. He also showed great leadership in philanthropic organizations, spearheading fundraising efforts for Queensborough Community College and Harbor Child Care, and also served on their boards.

Outside of his business and community positions, Norman loved his friends. Throughout the years he remained close to colleagues who became friends, and people from the community he met with regularly through his informal breakfast club. He was also a member of the Lotos Club in New York, where he additionally served on the Directory. He was beloved by his extended family, nieces, nephews, and cousins, who remember him with great affection.

Norman was an accomplished craftsman who especially delighted in woodworking. Everyone knew of his extensive woodshop in the basement. Some of the lucky ones have his exquisite creations in their homes today. While his handiwork was unmatched, he never quite developed his singing voice, and relished being the worst vocalist in a family of non-musicians. Norman also loved his plants. He could keep an orchid alive far beyond the usual lifespan. He was also a reader and enjoyed having classical music playing in the house.

Most of all, Norman loved his family. He is survived by his wife Ruth, son Alan Bigman and daughter-in-law Luba Bigman of Houston and daughter Lauren Cohen and son-in-law Matt Cohen of Saratoga Springs. He will also be greatly missed by his grandchildren Jonah, Caleb and Naomi Cohen and Katya, Keira and Andrew Bigman. He leaves behind his beloved siblings Rosalie and Mickey Silber and Aaron and Doreen Bigman.

May his memory be a blessing.

The Norman Bigman Memorial Fund at Queensborough Community College has been created to support accessibility improvements to the College's performing arts center (QPAC). Donations can be made by selecting the fund from the dropdown menu at this site: https://www2.qcc.cuny.edu/give/give.html or checks may be made out to QCC Fund, Inc. (Write Norman Bigman Memorial Fund in memo section) and can be mailed to: Attention: Charles Petz, QCC Fund, Inc., c/o Queensborough Community College, Office of Institutional Advancement Room A-508, Bayside, NY 11364.

Services were private.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com .