Alva Lucille "Lucy" Wiggins

– Alva Lucille "Lucy" Wiggins passed away Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, at Edgewood Vista in Missoula with family by her side. After having her life held hostage by Alzheimer's for many, many years, she is now whole again in the arms of her heavenly father.

Lucy was born June 27, 1920, in Frederick, Okla., to Walter and Beulah Adams. She grew up and attended schools in Oklahoma. On June 21, 1942, she married W.A. Wiggins Jr., a Baptist minister. He pastored churches in Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. Their three children were born while they were in Texas. In 1957, they moved to Missoula, where they helped establish Trinity Baptist Church. Her husband passed away in 1966.

Lucy remained in Missoula and became a teacher. She was director of the Opportunity School, a school for mentally challenged children and adults. This was before special education was part of the public school system. Lucy received both her bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the University of Montana after her husband's death.

Her first public school teaching position was in Elmo on the Flathead Indian Reservation. She then returned to Missoula and taught many years at Roosevelt and Paxson schools. She retired in 1988. After retirement, she continued to remain active with church activities, family and travels. By the year 2000, Alzheimer's was beginning to rob her of her independence. For the past 10 years of her life, she was a resident of Edgewood Vista.

Lucy is survived by three children, Winston (Theresa) Wiggins of Spokane, Lucy (Joel) Peterson of Bozeman and Mark (Jolyn) Wiggins of Missoula. She also left seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and two half-siblings, Margaret Fincher and Roy Moneypenney, both of Oklahoma. She was preceded in death by her husband, both parents and two other half-siblings.

The family wants to express its deepest gratitude to the staff of Edgewood Vista that became her family and loved and cared for her for many years.

The family requests that any memorial gifts in Lucy's name be sent to the Alzheimer's Association. A private family service will be held at a later date

Read Alva Wiggins's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.