Gladys Arlene (Smith) Wiggins (1928-1947)

SMITH, WIGGINS, GORDON, JENSEN, BENJAMIN, BAGLEY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:11

From Nevada Evening Journal March 24, 1947 (page 1)

Former Colo Girl, Husband Killed in California Friday

Colo, March 24 -- The tragic death of a former 19-year-old Colo girl and her husband of four months has been termed by Los Angeles, Ca., police as murder and suicide.

Douglas Theodore Wiggins, 24, and his wife, the former Gladys Smith, were found in their bed room in Culver City, Los Angeles suburb, last Friday night.

Mrs. Wiggins was shot through the heart at close range, was on the bed, clad in a silk dressing gown. Wiggins' body was on the floor, a would in the head and a pistol in his right hand.

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Police found no motive for the deaths. The couple was described by neighbors as a pair of "love birds." Wiggins drove a milk delivery truck and his wife worked in a department store.

The mother of Mr. Wiggins who lived in New York City is flying to California where she will arrange to have the bodies returned to Colo for funeral and burial.

Mr. and Mrs. Wiggins were married last Nov. 8 in the Evangelical church in Nevada by Rev. W. V. Tarr. Mrs. Wiggins attended Nevada and Colo schools and graduated with the class of 1945.

She is survived by her mother, Mrs. Almina Smith of Colo; three sisters: Mrs. Naomi Gordon of Corona, Cal.; Mrs. Isabelle Jensen of Nevada and Mrs. Evelyn Benjamin of Colo, and her grandmother, Mrs. Ida Bagley of Colo.

From Nevada Evening Journal April 2, 1947 (page 6)

Double Funeral Service Held Sunday at Colo

Colo, April 1 -- Double funeral services were held for Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Wiggins, Sunday afternoon, March 30, at 2:30 o'clock in the Colo Methodist church with Rev. R. L. Russell, pastor of the Evangelical church, in charge of the service.

Miss Helen Turner as soloist sang three number. "Sometime We'll Understand," "Safe in the Arms of Jesus" and "Some Day the Silver Cord Will Break." Mrs. Merle Dickinson at the piano accompanied Miss Turner and provided other appropriate music.

The many beautiful floral offerings were cared for and arranged by the girls of the 1945 graduating class, of which Mrs. Wiggins had been a member.

Casket bearers for Mrs. Wiggins were Ray Weir, Thomas Williams, Kenneth Smith, Robert Quinn, Stanley Squires and Don Wilson. Casket bearers for Mr. Wiggins were Ted Cummings, Charles Rhoades, Everal Allie, Carroll Carmody, Jim McCoy and William Barrett. Interment was in the Colo cemetery.

Following is the obituary of Mrs. Wiggins, which was read during the service.

Gladys Arlene Smith was born July 19, 1928 in Colo, Iowa, and passed away at her home in Los [Angeles County, March 21,] 1947 at the age of 19 years, 8 months and 2 days.

"At the age of eight months, she moved with her parents to a farm near Leavenworth, Kansas, where she lived four years. The family returned to Colo where she lived until 1943, when for a period of eight months she lived in California.

"On November 8, 1946, she was united in marriage to Douglas Wiggins. They moved to Los Angeles, California, where they lived until her death.

"Gladys was a graduate of Colo high school with the class of 1945. Following her graduation, she was employed by the Donnelly Corporation of Nevada, and for short period prior to her marriage by the Bell Telephone company of Des Moines.

"She became a member of the Evangelical church in Colo by confession of faith in 1943, and was always active in the organizations of the church, especially the Youth Fellowship.

"She leaves to mourn her passing, her mother, Mrs. Almina Smith of Colo, her father, Frank Smith of Eugene, Oregon, three sisters, Mrs. Noami Gordon of Corona, California, Mrs. Isabelle Jensen of Nevada, and Mrs. Evelyn Benjamin of Colo, her grandmother, Mrs. Ida Bagley of Colo, and a very large number of other relatives and friends.

"She leaves a large circle of friends because she in turn was a friend to so many both young and old. The memory of her life will long be cherished, and the vacancy caused by her passing will not soon be filled."

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Those from a distance attending the services were Mrs. Georgie Wiggins, New York City, Mrs. Pearl Tapia, Los Angeles, Cal., Mrs. Thurman W. Gordon, Corona, Cal., Mrs. Clara Hinecker, Marshalltown, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Watkins, Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Morgan from Newton, Mrs. Ada Taylor and daughter Bernice, Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Ripley of Lake City, Mrs. Manley Dakins, Mr. Arthur Couser and Mrs. Charles Davis of Zearing, and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Smith of Eugene, Oregon.