Donald C. Bigley, 65; owned taverns

When Donald C. Bigley was in his 30s, he bought Ott's Tavern in Delran, his wife, Patricia, said, "because he didn't want to work for anybody."

At the time, she said, Ott's was "just a local bar" run by the Ott family.

Mr. Bigley "was an entrepreneur," his wife said, and not just then.

So now, 27 years after he bought the Delran taproom, his family owns that one and four others - Ott's Greentop in West Berlin, Ott's on the Green in Washington Township, Ott's Downtown Pub & Grille in Mount Holly, and, simply, Ott's in Medford.

He expanded all of them to be more than a tavern, Patricia said, "to be more of a family-type restaurant."

On Wednesday, July 8, Mr. Bigley, 65, of Moorestown, died of coronary arrest at home.

Mr. Bigley grew up in the West Oak Lane neighborhood of Philadelphia and lived most of his life in Haddonfield.

He graduated from Haddonfield Memorial High School in 1967 and earned a bachelor's in business at Gettysburg College in 1971, his wife said.

Mr. Bigley was a salesman for the South Jersey operations of National Telephone Directories, which she said was a listing of businesses similar to the Yellow Pages.

After the firm promoted him to be a special projects manager, she said, he opened his own firm in Mount Holly, Southern New Jersey Communities Directories.

And then came the pubs.

Besides his wife, Mr. Bigley is survived by sons Craig and Todd, daughters Erin and Katelyn, and a sister.

A visitation was set from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at the Lewis Funeral Home, 78 E. Main St., Moorestown, with a funeral set for 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 13, at the First Presbyterian Church, 101 Bridgeboro Rd., Moorestown, N.J. 08057, with private interment.

Donations may be sent to the church at the above address.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.lewisfuneralhomemoorestown.com.

610-313-8134@WNaedele