Kori Bigge

Kori Bigge, 49, Stockton, was born August 2, 1975, in  Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Tim and Marlyn Karstetter. Kori passed away on October 16, 2024, at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, after a brief illness.

She grew up in McPherson, Kansas and graduated from McPherson High School in 1993. Kori attended Pittsburg State University and graduated with a minor in psychology in 1997 and a master's degree in psychology in 1999.

Kori moved to Hays, Kansas, to work for the High Plains Mental Health Center. In Hays, she also worked for Westside Alternative School, where she met her husband, Doug Bigge, while she was in court representing kids from the Westside Alternative School. They were married on June 14, 2003, in  McPherson. To this union, two children were born, Kourtney Danica and Dena Kail.

In 2008, after the death of Dena,  Kori suffered a massive heart attack, which eventually led to a heart transplant at the University of Utah Hospital in 2013. While suffering three strokes between 2008 and 2013, Kori still lived her life. Kori was no longer able to work, but she was able to navigate around Plainville and Stockton in her trusty golf cart, often seen with her companion dogs as passengers, and truly made lemonade out of lemons. She enjoyed her women's groups and took up sewing and quilting. She took her quilts to the Rooks County Free Fair. Kori enjoyed watching Kourtney grow up and show her different animals at the fair. Also, Kori took up listening to audiobooks. In 2023, she listened to an average of one and a half books a day.

Kori and her family are eternally grateful to the University of Utah Heart Transplant team for giving Kori another 16  years of life.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Dena Bigge, and father-in-law, Tom Bigge.

Kori is survived by her husband, Doug Bigge; daughter, Kourtney Bigge; parents Tim and Marlyn Karstetter; sisters, Kim Woyski (Ryan) and Kristi  Hatfield (Tad); brother Matt Karstetter; mother-in-law Ruth Ann Bigge;  sisters-in-law Beth Pfeifer (Jason) and Holly Beaton (Aaron); brother-in-law Stephen Bigge (Melissa) and nephews and nieces Caden Pfeifer, Kalli Windholz, Teagen Pfeifer, Kiaya Hatfield, Kyler Hatfield, Deklen Woyski, Kolton Woyski, Landry Beaton, Drylan Beaton and Kyan Bigge. 

Kori also had three fur babies at home that dearly miss her: Kody, Kit Kat, and Ruger.

A Memorial Service and Celebration of Kori's Life will be held at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, November 30, 2024, at the Stockton Church of Restoration,  204 N. Elm, Stockton, Kansas. A luncheon will be held prior to the service at noon at the church.

Memorials are suggested to the University of Utah Heart Transplant Program, St. Luke's Cardiovascular ICU program, Rooks County 4-H Dog Program, or the Women Who Lead for Matthew's Gift  Bags. Memorials may be sent to Doug Bigge, 325 Gracie St, Stockton, KS  67669 or to the Farmers National Bank, PO Box 522, Stockton, KS 67669.