Jurgen WIGEN

July 9, 1943 - May 13, 2025

Spokane - Jurgen Carl Wigen was born in LaCrosse, Washington, to Peter and Edna (Carlson) Wigen. He was a man who spread profound joy and loved his life deeply. He took enormous delight in his friends, his family, music, the Mariners, the Cougars, the Seahawks, nearly any other sporting event he could find, and, most significantly, his dear wife, Johnna. Jurgen was a Vietnam Veteran and was rightly proud of his service. In his working life, he'd been a firefighter, a plumber, a drug and alcohol recovery counselor, a sales rep, the general manager of the St. Vincent DePaul's thrift store on East Trent, and finished up his working life for the State of Washington. That is undoubtedly a partial list; the man worked hard. He was a right-hander who golfed lefty, could quickly multiply three-digit numbers in his head, and was known in the 1980s to launch fireworks out the t-top of his speeding Camaro. In 1992, he married his beloved Johnna. They were inseparable, a perfect match, and, with her, his last 33 years were some of his very best. He is survived by Johnna (nee Joyce); his son-in-spirit, Ty Talbot (wife, Julie Sponsler and daughter, Nora); brothers, Kermit (wife, Jolene) and Marvin (wife, Marilyn) Wigen; sister, Harriet (nee Wigen) Mackleit; sister-in-law, Mary Anne Wigen (widow of brother, Bob); and a myriad (he loved that word) of cousins, nieces, and nephews. Even though he had no children of his own, he became a father and grandfather to Johnna's son, Wayne (wife, Michelle); daughter, Joyce; and their grandchildren, Drew, Alyssa, Kirstie, and Kelcie. Per his wishes, his ashes will be scattered along the relaxing shores of Priest Lake and in the wind and soil of the Palouse.