Rev. Loran Monroe Biggs

  General Notes:

In mid-1929 Loran's mother just walked away - left the family. Loran, about 9 or 10, remembers seeing a big, shiny Cadillac pull up in their yard. His mom came out of the house, got in with the man, and just went away. Being married so young and having five babies in quick succession, coupled with the extreme hard times in Arkansas in the 1920's undoubtedly had some bearing on her actions. Never the less, Telfair couldn't take care of four young children and work too. He and his children moved in with Laura's parents, Robert and Anna Graves. A few months later the New York Stock Market crashed, plunging the nation into a depression. Telfair's mother-in-law, Anna, looked after the children as long as she could, but soon there wasn't enough money to feed everyone. The children were placed in a Church of Christ Orphanage - for six long years. It was very rough, as the man who ran it was a retired military professional - hard and cruel. Amazingly, all four kids came out okay - they knew their father loved them, and Loran, as the oldest, tried to take care of the others. Loran's father, Telfair, divorced Laura, and did not remarry until many years later, after Loran had completed military service in the marines, and was in college. joined the Marines after high school, where he became a champion boxer. Later, he worked as a brakeman for the railroad. Loran came to California and worked for Douglas Aircraft for a while. He was able to get into Pepperdine University and studied Theology, graduating in 1947. His first church was in Ridgecrest, California, where he met the love of his life, Doris. Then he pastored churches in Arlington, Sunland, Torrance and Upland, CA. Loran worked in Oregon for a year and then it was back to California, to the city of Gardena. He and his family moved to the Pacific Ave. Christian Church in Santa Rosa, California in 1968, and he is still there today.
Loran loves to write Christian articles and poetry, for friends and family. He enjoys reading, still teaches and does counseling. Loran has been a bodybuilder and "health-nut" all his adult life. He is the most positive and loving person you will ever meet.

Loran married Velma Doris (Roxy) Loffer, daughter of William Daniel Loffer and Martha Didammie (Damey) Adams, on 15 Apr 1949 in Miami, Ottawa County, Oklahoma. (Velma Doris (Roxy) Loffer was born on 17 Feb 1921 in N. Miami, Oklahoma and died on 8 Mar 1998 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California.)

Loran next married Winifred (Winnie) Wilson, daughter of William Lenior Wilson and Louise Lylon Fulcher.