Penfield, NY, September 22, 2025 at age 88.

Greatly loved and deeply missed.  Jay is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Maureen (McGee) Bigenwald and his children, Chris (Jenny) Bigenwald, Mark (Bridget) Bigenwald of Chicago, IL, Karen (Terry) Yatteau, Katie (Jay) Dunn of Fredericksburg, VA, and Sara (Elias) Bigenwald of Chicago, IL.  He was loved by his grandchildren, Eric, Jacob, Brenna, Claire, Mia, Libby, Anna, Sophie, Callie, Patrick, Nate, Ethan, and Naomi; by his siblings, George (Barbara) Bigenwald, Myles Bigenwald, and Virginia Grogan; and by his many in-laws, nieces and nephews.

Jay was born in Pittsburgh, PA on February 15, 1937. Proud of his Steel City upbringing, the family moved to Buffalo when he was in high school, where he played football and basketball for Orchard Park H.S.  Eventually, Jay would retire his Terrible Towel to root for the Buffalo Bills.

He was a graduate of the University of Rochester, Class of 1959, where he studied mechanical engineering. After college, he enjoyed a 44-year career working for Xerox where he made many lifelong friends and authored numerous patents. In retirement, Jay continued to find joy using his engineering know-how on everything from repairing rental properties to building gingerbread houses. 

Jay enjoyed music, singing and playing stand-up bass with the St. Joe’s folk group and hosting epic St. Patrick’s Day parties. He was an avid cross-country skier, biked the entire Erie Canal, and especially loved bird watching.  He had hundreds of birds on his life list and was not beyond asking a stranger if he could sit in their backyard if there was potential for a rare bird sighting. 

Jay loved his family and lived his life with humility, kindness, and patience.

Friends are invited to attend his memorial visitation at Jennings, Nulton and Mattle Funeral Home, 1704 Penfield Road, Saturday, October 11, 2-5pm. 

Contributions in his memory can made to Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850

Jay's Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, October 12 from 3-7 p.m. at  Shadow Lake Golf Club, 1850 Five Mile Line Road, Penfield.