Funeral for couple killed in tornado held in same church as their wedding

GREENFIELD, Iowa (KCCI) - An Iowa couple killed by a tornado were memorialized in their church, just feet from the altar where they were married 60 years ago.

Dean and Pam Wiggins, 78 and 77, were laid to rest Friday morning. The couple were among those killed by the EF-4 tornado that leveled the town of Greenfield last Tuesday.

Dr. Keith Schweitzer, the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church, gave the couple’s eulogy, speaking about the high school sweethearts who had been staples in the town for so long. The funeral service was held in the same church they were married in 60 years ago.

“If you move 10 feet, this is where they made their pledges as husband and wife,” Schweitzer said.

The Wigginses were celebrated for the life they lived and the lives they touched. They are survived by their two sons, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, according to their obituaries.

Dean Wiggins worked at the local feed companies and Cardinal Glass Company for many years and was famous for his Friday afternoon drives around town — often with his loving wife at his side.

Pam Wiggins was known by many for her service to the community, volunteering at the church, the Adair County Hospital Foundation Board and The Greenfield Chamber, to name just a few.

Schweitzer’s message was simple: even though the storm took their lives, the couple’s impact on their town will be forever present. Their spirit lives on in every good deed neighbors exchange.

“The tornado took their home, but dear friends, listen to me: that tornado could not touch their faith,” Schweitzer said.

In addition to the Wigginses, three people were killed and at least three dozen were injured when a violent tornado blew through southwest Iowa.