Kelly Lee Bigwood

On Friday, March 22, 2024, Kelly Lee Bigwood passed from this life into one much more real. She was welcomed into her heavenly home by her Lord and Savior, Jesus, whom she had walked with closely for many years. Some of her very last words were “I’m ready to go home.”

Kelly, the daughter of Robert Floyd Sr. and Barbara Brian Floyd, was born in Pascagoula, MS, and grew up in Louisiana and Texas. Graduating from Vernon High School in Vernon, TX, Kelly would go on to graduate from Southwestern Assemblies of God University with a degree in children’s ministry.

Kelly’s name means warrior, and she lived up to that name fully. Long before her battle with cancer she was a fighter. She goes down in Harrold High School girls basketball history by being one of the benchwarmers who had to step in when the entire team fouled out. They would rally and beat their rival with only three players on the floor. The odds never really bothered Kelly, and she approached her battle with cancer the same way.

On October 1, 2015, Kelly received the official diagnosis of what she already expected: stage four cancer, beginning a multi-year battle with cancer. The Bigwood family is forever grateful for the team at Baylor medicine in Houston Texas, who, even though they did not expect Kelly to live more than six months, still took the chance and treated her. Doctors Stephen Curley, Avo Artinyan, Yvonne Sada, and Benjamin Muscher at Baylor and Dr Mohammed Khan and his team here in Lake Charles were all were a huge part in giving us 3,096 extra days with Kelly. To all of you, thank you.

To Kelly, her battle became a platform to minister from. Everywhere she went during these last 8+ years became an encounter with someone needing encouragement. Being a pastor’s daughter and a pastor’s wife, ministry was always her heart and life – but with cancer it took on a whole new mission and she embraced it wholeheartedly. She knew what it was to walk with Jesus through life’s hardest moments and she wanted everyone else to know how to do that too.

Kelly approached her last few weeks on this side of eternity the same way she did everything else: fearlessly hand in hand with the Lord. She knew that, for those who follow Jesus, death isn’t failure, and it isn’t final — and when you know who is on your side, nothing else really matters.

To our families and friends, thank you for the support and love you have shown us through these years. We could not have walked this journey without you.

Kelly is survived by her five incredible children: Kaleb, Hannah, Abigail, Elizabeth, and Samuel; husband, Joshua; Parents: Robert and Barbara Floyd, sisters Kristi Scharringhausen (Louis and sons: Jordan, Kamron, and Jeremiah), Kari Calda (and children Zach, Cody, Chloe and Cami, brother Rob Floyd (Ali and daughter Alyssa)., her in laws, brothers and sisters- in laws and their children. She is preceded in death by her maternal and paternal grandparents and a great niece.

A service to celebrate her life will be held at Glad Tidings Church in Lake Charles on Monday, March 25, 2024 at 11 a.m. Rev. Todd Schumacher will officiate. Visitation will take place at the church Sunday evening from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. and will resume on Monday from 10 a.m. until the start of the service.  A private burial will take place following the service.