Schools

School Concert Dedicated to Susan Bigham

Education advocate died of a heart attack last weekend; 'Play It Forward' concert is Thursday at the Lesher Center for the Arts.

School officials are dedicating Thursday's school fund-raising concert at the Lesher Center for the Arts to a longtime Walnut Creek school advocate who died from a sudden heart attack last weekend.

The "Play It Forward" concert is dedicated to Susan Bigham, the former PTA president of the Walnut Heights Elementary PTA, who was "a vibrant, amazing woman," in the words of Walnut Creek School Superintendent Patricia Wool

Bigham was a stalwart with the Walnut Creek Education Foundation, which has a page on its website for donations in her memory. On the page, it says: "We have gotten some questions about sending flowers, etc. and we really want to encourage folks NOT to send flowers or gifts. If Susan were here, she would say 'That's crazy! Give that $50 to the schools!' So that's what we want to do." A link for a donation is on the site.

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'Play It Forward" is an annual concert in which nationally famous performers play with local student musicians as a benefit for WCEF. The renowned musicians this year include vocalist Jamie Davis, Greg Errico and Walnut Creek's own Carlos Reyes — who will gig with the Las Lomas Jazz Band and Chorale, and the Walnut Creek Intermediate Jazz Band.

A memorial service for Bigham is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 23, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1924 Trinity Ave., Walnut Creek, according to a school email by Wool.

Find out what's happening in Walnut Creekwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bigham was an avid Patch reader who sometimes commented on education issues. Last October, she posted a notice telling Walnut Creekers about a local forum to discuss state education propositions.


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