I am sorry to report that Myron J. Biggar, past publisher of O Scale Railroading and subsequently O Gauge Railroading from March 1986 to mid-2006, passed away early this morning. Myron was 91 years old. I was notified of his passing by his daughter, Barbara Saslo, who also worked with the magazine. I do not have details to share at this point, but will provide more information as it becomes available. Although I was not an employee in the period when Myron was owner and publisher, I was initially associated with OGR through articles I wrote that were published in the magazine, and I had a good friendship with Myron. After I became editor of OGR, Myron kept in touch from time to time to tell me what he felt I was doing right, or, more often, not so right. He was quite a character, and I will miss sharing banter with him.
Here is the text of his obituary, from the Bartholomew-Schisler Funeral Home, in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
Myron James Biggar, (91 years) born October 10, 1931 in Rochester, New York, passed away Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at St. Lukes University Hospital, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania after a short illness. Myron was the son of the late Ralph A. Biggar and Mildred Biggar (ne. Hadley). During his 91-plus years, Myron led a full, active and adventurous life. He often saw a problem as an opportunity, and an opportunity as an adventure to help someone out and/or learn something new.
Myron is a 1950 graduate of Brighton High School, Rochester, New York. After graduating, he got a job as an usher at Radio City Music Hall while studying for a career in the radio and television industry. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952 and through a volunteer opportunity during basic training he ended up going to Gelnhausen, Germany running an American/German school instead of serving in the Korean War until 1954. After his service, Myron returned to Rochester to settle down, start a business career, meet and marry the love of his life, Nancy Ouderkirk in 1959.
Myron’s business career moved from banking to heavy manufacturing to education and entrepreneurship. He spent many years at Ingersoll-Rand in the accounts receivable credit and collection department, which transferred the family from Rochester, N.Y. to Horseheads, N.Y., to Freehold, New Jersey, finally settling in Nazareth, Pennsylvania in 1977 while working at the Phillipsburg, N.J. plant. After Ingersoll-Rand, Myron travelled the world presenting and developing credit and collection seminars for Dun & Bradstreet’s educational division based out of New York City. He authored his first book while pursuing his doctorate through Century University in California.
In 1986 Myron bought the failing O Scale Railroading magazine, and over the course of 16 years turned his $5,000 cash investment into a million dollar publishing house including the much expanded magazine, a book and video division, and a model building kit division. Myron immersed himself in the 3-rail (Lionel) and 2-rail scale model railroading industry. He took great pride and personal satisfaction connecting those with great ideas and those who can make things happen. The magazine is still being published today.
As a child Myron rode real steam train engines in the late 1930s and 40s and dreamed of one day working on those trains. He accomplished some of those dreams through volunteering on several excursion railroads over his lifetime. But his all time favorite was being a train man and Conductor on the New York Susquehanna &Western Technical & Historical Society Inc. (dba. Delaware River Railroad Excursions). He volunteered countless hours many, many weekends over 20 years. From the heat of the summer trains through the cold December with the Polar Express, he was there. Even after he could no longer be certified due to his age, Myron and Nancy volunteered with crowd control on the departure platform. Trains, whether large or small or in magazines will always be a part of his life.
When Myron sold the O Gauge Railroading publishing house in 2002 he was 70 years old. He truly felt it was time for him and Nancy to retire. They traveled the country and parts of the world and enjoyed their summer place in the Finger Lakes of New York state. Yet Myron remained active with many things over the years. There was always something to look forward to doing whether it was the Nazareth Area Chamber of Commerce, revitalizing the Easton Masonic Center developing the second floor artists lofts and filling first floor retail space and consulting with the Erie Masonic Conference Center. Myron needed to occupy his mind and there were always opportunities.
This so-called retirement lasted about six years until his daughter, Barbara, bought a retail store selling patio furniture (some assembly required) and a gift shop. Yet again, he learned the new PVC patio furniture industry and told her stories of his retail business skills. In 2014, Barbara added a ceramic studio so she and Myron both learned how to pour low-fire ceramics and navigate a whole new world. This gave Myron and Nancy lots of physical strength and activity every day. Myron was last in the studio supervising pouring ceramics on Monday, July 24th.
Myron was an active member of Easton Masonic Lodge #152, and a Past Master of Inspiration Lodge #109, Rochester, N.Y. He is a member and Past Patron of Molly Pitcher Chapter #198, Freehold, New Jersey and thrice Past Patron of Easton Chapter #214 and member of William Parsons Chapter #185, all Order of the Eastern Star.
Myron was an active and supportive member of the Nazareth Area Society of Model Engineers (locally known as N.A.S.M.E.) for over 40 years. Their train layouts in Stockertown are a great place to run his large, small and unique rolling stock.
Myron is survived by his wife of nearly 64 years, Nancy Biggar (ne. Ouderkirk), his daughter, Barbara Saslo (ne. Biggar), son, Scott Biggar (wife Susan Michel), and his sister, Diana Woodruff (ne. Biggar) of Englewood, Florida.
A Celebration of Myron’s Life will be held Saturday, August 26th 2023 at St. John’s United Church of Christ, Fraunfelder Hall, 183 South Broad Street, Nazareth, Pennsylvania, from 4pm to 8pm. Please join us to talk about Myron. An Eastern Star Memorial Service will be at 5:30pm and a Masonic Memorial Service will follow at approximately 6pm. Food and fellowship to all are welcome.
Arrangements are being handled by Bartholomew-Schisler Funeral Home, Nazareth, PA.
