Funeral services start soon for Greenfield tornado victims


Services will start soon for three of the five people who died in the tornado that tore through Greenfield last week.

Four people died in the Adair County town of about 2,000 people from an EF4 tornado on May 21: Dean Wiggins, 78, and his wife, Pam Wiggins, 77, Lee Williamson, 70, and Michael Jensen, 73.

A fifth person, 46-year-old Monica Zamarron, died when the tornado pulled her from her vehicle near Corning in the same storm that eventually went northwest to Greenfield.

More: Greenfield tornado damaged, destroyed at least 153 Iowa homes in roughly one minute

The tornado injured at least 35 others and damaged or destroyed 153 homes.

Pam and Dean Wiggins

Dean Wiggins

Dean Wiggins

As a couple, the Pam and Dean Wiggins were dependable, reliable and kind, longtime neighbor and friend Carol Woosley said.

“They were the kind of people that no matter what you needed — if you needed them — they would be there,” she recalled.

The couple’s eldest son Todd described his parents as the “epitome of ‘Greenfield Strong,'” and had they survived, he says, he knows they would be helping others affected by the tornado. They were married 58 years.

More: Dependable, reliable, kind: Family, friends remember couple killed in Greenfield tornado

According to his obituary, Dean was a volunteer firefighter, worked for Feeders Service and Hansen Feed Services for many years and subsequently worked at Cardinal Glass before retiring in 2011. He also was the president of the local Booster Club and was the president of the Greenfield Country Club. He was a dedicated fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Pam Wiggins

Pam Wiggins

According to her obituary, Pam, a Greenfield native and cancer survivor, helped lead local groups such as the Greenfield Business Women and Adair County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She also previously managed Greenfield Senior Citizen Housing, an independent living facility for older adults, and volunteered at Immanuel Lutheran Church.

A news release from Adair County said the couple was killed in their home in the 800 block of East Iowa Street, north of the hospital.

Open visitation for the couple will be from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, 505 N.E. Dodge St., in Greenfield.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Greenfield with burial following in the Greenfield Cemetery.

William “Lee” Williamson

Lee Williamson

Lee Williamson

William “Lee” Williamson was retired after working as a welder with his own business uptown, neighbor Jared Masker told the Des Moines Register.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing, often swapping stories and photos of bucks. And he could be frequently found outside, playing with his dogs, Coco and Bear, by the lake “probably three times a day.” Williamson took in Bear years ago as a rescue from a friend, Masker said.

“In his words, it was, ‘Well, we’ll just keep Bear until we find a good home for him,'” Masker recalled. “Well, he found his home pretty quick.”

Coco made it out of the storm, he says, but Bear did not. “Hopefully they’re together up there, playing frisbee,” Masker said.

A news release from Adair County said Williamson was transported to Greater Regional Health in Creston but died from his tornado-related injuries.

Funeral services have not yet been announced.

More: ‘Somehow I’m here’: Neighbors say four people died in powerful Greenfield tornado

Michael Jensen

Michael Jensen

Michael Jensen

“He was just a normal young man in high school and he wrestled,” said Larry Riley, commander of American Legion Head-Endres Post 26 and Jensen’s former high school wrestling coach. “In my head, I can remember what he looked like in high school. Black hair. No whiskers”

After Jensen graduated, Riley lost contact with him until he came back to Greenfield to live with his mother.

“You gotta remember him as a good fella,” Riley said.

An open visitation for Michael Jensen will be held from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Lamb Funeral Home, 510 First St., in Fontanelle.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Lamb Funeral Home, with the burial at Greenfield Cemetery. Full military graveside rites will be conducted by the Greenfield American Legion Head-Endres Post No. 265 and V.F.W. Post No. 5357.

Adair County said Jensen died at his Greenfield home on Southeast Jackson Street.

Monica Zamarron

Monica Zamarron was on her way home from work when the tornado blew her out of her car.

She was in her vehicle near Highway 148 and Joshua Tree Avenue north of Corning when the tornado struck the area. Her body was found about 300 yards from the car around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Early reporting identified Zamarron as a possible storm chaser. Her son Fernando Zamarron Bolanos told the Register on Saturday that information was not accurate.

He declined to comment further.

Southwest Iowa Egg Cooperative, which sells “farm fresh eggs at affordable prices” to area food service outlets, said she was on her way home from work when the tornado hit.

“A valued employee, Monica, was known for her attention to detail as she provided excellent care for birds,” according to a Facebook post from SWIE. “She was committed to making sure all of our customers got high quality eggs. As a special friend, her love for her family was obvious for all her knew her.”

Funeral services for Zamarron have not yet been announced.

Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Greenfield tornado victims identified as funeral services begin soon

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