Carolyn Sarah Cox Biggs passed away peacefully on June 16, 2026, at the age of 93, surrounded by family. Known to relatives, students and church members for a lifetime of teaching and service, she was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother whose life was shaped by faith and a commitment to education.
Obituary photo used with the article: an elderly woman standing in a parking lot in Gilbert, Arizona, holding a book.
Born July 15, 1932, in Glendale, Utah, Carolyn was the eldest of nine children born to Maxwell Bruce Cox and Ruth Jorgenson Cox. Her family moved during her youth from Fairview, Utah, to Mesa, Arizona, where she completed her secondary education as a member of the Mesa High School Class of 1950. Those early years in a large, close-knit family laid the groundwork for a lifelong devotion to learning, service and enduring family traditions.
Pursuing an interest in teaching, Carolyn attended Brigham Young University before completing her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at Arizona State University. She continued her academic work at Northern Arizona University, earning a master’s degree and graduating with honors as a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Her formal training prepared her for a career in the classroom and in religious education that would span decades.
Carolyn met Robert Darrel “Bob” Biggs while the two were serving as dance instructors for youth activities. They married on May 1, 1953, and shared more than half a century together. The couple raised a large family and made home life central to Carolyn’s identity. She is survived by seven children: Darrel Bruce Biggs (and Cici), Bradley James Biggs, Carrie Biggs Schnepf (and Mark), Robert Worth Biggs (and Colleen), Diane Biggs Skousen (and Tracy), John Daniel Biggs (and Risë) and Samuel Joseph Bellamy Biggs (and Sheila). Her posterity includes 29 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren. Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Darrel Biggs; her daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Biggs; her daughter-in-law, Theresa Alexander Biggs; her grandson, Dallin Owen Robert Skousen; and her parents, Maxwell Bruce and Ruth Cox.
Education and religious teaching were central to Carolyn’s life. She taught seminary at Westwood High School for over 15 years, beginning as a substitute teacher before being hired full time. In that role she became Arizona’s first female full-time seminary teacher. Former students frequently sought her out over the years to express their appreciation for the influence she had on their lives. Carolyn and her husband served a mission together in McAllen, Texas, teaching seminary and institute, and later served in the Mesa Arizona Temple. She continued to teach at the ASU Institute of Religion and at the Gilbert Temple and held numerous church callings including Relief Society president, primary chorister and activities chairman. In the later years of her service she taught the seven-year-old class and was loved by the children she instructed.
Beyond the classroom and chapel, Carolyn was active in community organizations. She was a legacy member of the Desert Club and devoted many hours to creating decorations for its annual Christmas Idea House. She was also a legacy member of Simada and belonged to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, an organization that honored her service. Family reunions and traditions within the Cox and Biggs families remained a cherished part of her life, and she took particular pleasure in gatherings centered on children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In her later years Carolyn faced Alzheimer’s disease. The family noted that she met the illness with dignity and that, while it gradually claimed many memories, it did not diminish the love she shared with those around her. The family expressed deep gratitude to her devoted caregivers, Tita and Jacklyne, and their mother Meleane, for the care they provided.
Visitation for Carolyn Sarah Biggs is scheduled for Monday, June 22, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at the Gilbert Val Vista Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 1005 North Voyager Drive, Gilbert, Arizona. A funeral service will follow at 4:00 p.m. The family’s committal service and interment will take place the following morning, Tuesday, June 23, at 8:30 a.m. at San Tan Memorial Garden on East Cloud Road in Queen Creek, Arizona. Arrangements are by Bunker Family Funerals & Cremation - Garden Chapel. The family has directed that information and accurate service details be confirmed through the funeral home’s arrangements; planting trees or making memorial contributions are noted options provided with the obituary notice.
Carolyn’s life spanned 93 years and included service in classrooms, temples and community organizations. She is remembered by an extensive family and a long list of former students and friends whose lives she touched through decades of teaching and church service.