Charles Arthur Biggs Sr (1937 - 2022)

Born 15 Mar 1937 in Jonesboro, Craighead, Arkansas, USA

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 18 Jan 2022 at age 84 in Houston, Harris, Texas, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chuck Biggs [send private message]

Biography

Chuck was an Amateur Radio Operator, Callsign: WA5GNB / KC5RG / NNN0VHX

Chuck Biggs Sr was a Texan.

Early Years

Chuck Biggs Sr was born Charles Arthur Biggs on 15 Mar 1937 in Jonesboro Arkansas^{[1] [2]} to 31 year-old Arthur Biggs, who went by "Art"^[3], and 25 year-old Irma Marie Fritts, who went by her middle name Marie^[3]. He was the first-born to Marie and Arthur, who was a sign-painter^[1] with his twin brother Oscar (Biggs Twin Sign Shop)^[4].

Chuck was named after Marie's late brother Charles Allen Fritz^[3] who died at 15 years old^[5]. Charles Fritts had gone by "Charlie" and so Marie also called her first-born son. Chuck would go by this nickname through his military career, but when he transferred from military to civil service at NASA, his colleagues, who only new him as Charles, began to call him Chuck for short, and the name stuck. He assumed the suffix "Sr." after the birth of his son. Chuck Jr^[3]

Chuck was the first of what would be five children for Art and Marie in Jonesboro. After his birth, he was followed by two brothers and two sisters:

• William Oscar "Bill" Biggs (1939)^[1]
• Cecile Louise Biggs (1943)^[6]
• James Alfred "Jim" Biggs (1949)^[7]
• Linda Lee Biggs (1950)^[8]

Charlie Biggs on first motorcycle - 1954 Harley Davidson Hummer

In 1951 his family moved to Clute Texas when his father took a job as a silk-screener at the Dow Chemical Co^[9]. Chuck graduated from Brazosport High School in 1955^[10]. He would later earn a BA in 1984 and an MA in 1987 from the University of Houston – Clear Lake^[11] in Art and Media Studies^[3], and after earning his MA, he began teaching Art and Media Studies at night at San Jacinto College^[3]. In 1990 he was named the University of Houston's Distinguished Alumnus of the year^[11]. He continued his University of Houston association as an Adjunct Professor until 1997 ^{[citation needed]}.

USAF

But before that, in June of 1955 he hitchhiked to Houston to join the US Air Force. After finishing Basic Training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio Texas, he was stationed at Craig AFB in Selma Alabama as a graphics artist and illustrator for the Department of Intelligence Training^[12]. It was there that Airman 2/c Charles A. Biggs married his high-school sweetheart, Mary "Geana" Perry on June 24, 1956. The base chaplain officiated the wedding in the Craig AFB Chapel and Airman 1/c Edward Armstrong, who would become Chuck's life-long friend, was best man^[13].

Basic Airman Biggs (1956)

In 1957, Chuck transferred back to Texas, continuing his work in the Department of Intelligence Training at Sheppard AFB in Witchita Falls Texas^[12]. He and his wife Geana lived off-base in Burkburnett Texas when their two sons were born^[14]:

• Charles Arthur Biggs. Jr (b 1958)
• Jeffrey Alan Biggs (1960 - 2018)

After four years in the US Air Force, Airman 1/c Charles A. Biggs was honorably discharged from active duty to civilian life in the Air Force Reserve in 1959 and started his Civil Service career when he began working for the Department of the Air Force as a civilian employee, back in the Department of Intelligence Training. Then on March 18, 1962, three days after his 25th birthday, he transferred his Civil Service to NASA, taking a position with the newly formed Manned Spacecraft Center (renamed in 1973 to the Johnson Space Center), in Houston, TX.

NASA

His first role at NASA was in the Graphics Branch as a Conceptual Illustrator AST (Aerospace Technologist) for the Mercury Program. In this role, Chuck would work with the program technicians and engineers to understand the technology they were developing and then illustrate conceptual finished products and activities. He continued in this role into the Gemini Program^[12]. An example of his work can be found on the Internet Archive.

In 1965, during the Apollo Program planning stage, Chuck transferred from the Graphics Branch to the Public Affairs Office, where he would spend the next 27 years. His first role in the PAO was as an Exhibits Specialist AST in the Public Services group. In 1966 he was promoted to the role of Visual Information Specialist AST in the PAO Protocol Branch. In 1968 he was asked to head the newly formed PAO Exhibits, Artifacts, and Information Services^[12].

WIP Notes for next section - Put together a program to get visitors onsite, tram tour. Or on foot open-house. Disney got the contract. Then built the visitor center, with mission control and the underground pool to simulate zero-g.

He remained at NASA for 30 years, retiring in 1992, after having a long and exciting career there. He was often recognized for his outstanding contributions to the public's understanding of and appreciation for the American space program.

Post NASA Retirement

WIP

Honors and Awards

NASA Exceptional Service

Honorary Kentucky Colonel, State of Kentucky

Honorary Deputy Constable, Precinct 8, Harris County, Texas

Honorary Flying Colonel, Delta Airlines

Honorary Doctorate of Aerial Photography,

The Institute of Advaned Reconnaissance Cinematography, 1973

Research Notes

WIP - Post NASA retirement

Aerospace Museum Consulting

Fisher Pen Consulting

Omega Watch consulting

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} 1940 US Census; Place: Jonesboro, Craighead, Arkansas; Roll: T627_128; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 16-231.
2. ↑ U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Provo, UT, USA.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} Personal information provided by Charles Arthur Biggs, Jr on Nov 16 2020.
4. ↑ U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, Provo, UT, USA.
5. ↑ Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Death Certificates; 1920; Roll: 4.
6. ↑ Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin, Texas, Texas, Marriage Index, 1824-2014, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, Provo, UT, USA.
7. ↑ U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 2, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, Provo, UT, USA.
8. ↑ Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin, Texas; Texas Marriage Index, 1824-2014; Ancestry.com; Ancestry.com Operations Inc; 2005; Provo, UT, USA.
9. ↑ Art's signs aided many a cause, Newspapers.com - The Brazosport Facts - 12 Oct 1969 - Page 26; The Brazosport Facts; 12 Oct 1969; Freeport, Texas.
10. ↑ U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012; Ancestry.com; Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; 2010; Provo, UT, USA.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2} University of Houston Clear Lake Distinguished Alumni Award
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3} Apollo and America's Moon Landing Program - Oral Histories of Managers, Engineers, and Workers, Set 1; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), World Spaceflight News, Johnson Space Center (JSC).
13. ↑ Marriage of Perry / Biggs, Newspapers.com - The Brazosport Facts - 27 Jun 1956 - Page 20; The Brazosport Facts; 27 Jun 1956; Freeport, Texas;
14. ↑ Birth announcement of Charles Arthur Biggs Jr, Newspapers.com - The Brazosport Facts - 23 Oct 1958 - Page 7; The Brazosport Facts; 23 Oct 1958; Freeport, Texas.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6} Framed signed and dated certificate in possession of Chuck Biggs Jr., 2020
16. ↑ Center Employees Receive Awards, The Roundup Vol. 13 No. 2; Page 1; NASA, Johnson Space Center; Houston, Texas; December 21 1973
17. ↑ Medal in possession of Chuck Biggs Jr., 2020
18. ↑ Wooden/bronze plaque in possession of Chuck Biggs Jr., 2020
19. ↑ https://www.rnasa.org/stellar/stellarwinners1989-1996.html