Dr. Edwin Levi Biggerstaff Jr.

Dr. Ed Biggerstaff, age 92, of Menomonie, WI passed away on Friday, July 10, 2026 at The Neighbors of Dunn County.

He was born on August 13, 1933 in Dallas, TX to Edwin and Hixie (Green) Biggerstaff. Ed graduated from Hillcrest High School, Dallas, TX in 1950. Later he obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology (1957), his Master's degree in Clinical Psychology (1958) and his doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology and Student Personnel Administration (1963) from the University of North Texas, Denton, TX.

He was a Korean War Veteran serving in the United States Coast Guard from 1952-56. During his life he was a Golden Glove boxer, baseball player, and a vocal and instrumental musician.

Dr. Biggerstaff had an extensive background in higher education administration, including sixteen years as a community college president and Chancellor of three institutions (Richland College, Dallas, TX; Anchorage Community College, Anchorage, AK; and Del Mar Community College, Corpus Christi, TX). He was Interim Chancellor of the Alaska Community College System from 1981-1982.

He joined the University of Wisconsin System in January 1988 as the Dean, School of Education and Human Services, and Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. From June 1990 to August 1991, Dr. Biggerstaff served as Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UW-Stout. He then returned to his Dean's position. In 1997, the School of Education and Human Services and the School of Home Economics merged and Dr. Biggerstaff became the first Dean of the new College of Human Development. In fall 1998, he returned to a fulltime teaching/professor position and shortly after became the Program Director of the Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree. He retired from the university in May of 2012.

He was a licensed psychologist and privately practiced for a number of years on a part-time basis. Dr. Biggerstaff served on the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts Board for eight years (President for four years) and the Myrtle Werth Medical Center Board until the merger with the Mayo System. Ed was on the negotiating team representing Myrtle Werth Medical Center in the merger with the Mayo System.

Dr. Biggerstaff married Dr. Brenda Harrison on June 14, 1998 at the Mable Tainter Center for the Arts.

He is survived by Brenda and three children, Elizabeth Anne and wife Esther Blanchette, Elyria, OH; Edwin L. Biggerstaff III (EL) and wife Carolyn, Dallas, TX; Dr. Sean Biggerstaff and wife Laura, California, MD; four grandchildren, Ian (Rosita Asawa), Duncan (Molly) Biggerstaff, and Jack and Hope Biggerstaff; sisters-in-law Pam (Doug) Gane and Sheryl Flug, brothers-in-law Darral (Pamela) Otto, Brian (Julie) Otto and Mark (Patti) Otto. He is further survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Hixie Biggerstaff, his brother John Biggerstaff, and Chica, the beloved dog of Ed and Brenda.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to The Neighbors of Dunn County and St Croix Hospice for their exceptional care, compassion, and kindness shown to Ed during his final days. Your support meant more than words can express.

Graveside services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2026 at Evergreen Cemetery in Menomonie with military honors by the Menomonie Veterans Honor Guard. A reception will follow the burial at Olson Funeral Home in Menomonie from 10:30 to 12:30.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to a charity of your choice in Ed’s memory.

To share a memory, please visit obituaries at www.olsonfuneral.com