Joshua Billy Wigham Death – The untimely death of 34-year-old Joshua “Billy” Wigham occurred at his residence in rural Eyota, Minnesota, on Tuesday, March 26th. The Wigham family welcomed their son, Joshua William, into the world on March 16, 1990. Josh was a 2008 graduate of Dover-Eyota High School. He labored, operated heavy machinery, remodelled the outside of homes, and was known as a snow plow extraordinaire after finishing college.
Josh had many friends since he was a kind and generous person. Anyone who met him felt his vivacious energy. Going out on the town was always his favorite thing to do, and he was most fun when dancing. The simple things in life, particularly being with the people he cared about, brought him great happiness. When he was younger, he was your average mischievous child who would get into all sorts of mischief while skateboarding, riding various motor machines, and generally being a joy to be around.
While he was here, he loved several other pastimes, such as playing golf, going on rides on the lake or river, listening to music, going on family vacations, or essentially anything that involved action or adventure. With his quick wit and ability to make people laugh, Josh was a master at bringing a smile to their face. “Laugh at my jokes!” or “Tell me I’m funny!” would be his go-to responses when he wasn’t getting the response he was hoping for. On most days, Josh was quite content to dress casually, donning his trusty old denim, wild hair, and old boots.
However, there were special times when he relished the opportunity to dress to impress, donning a vivid collared shirt and donning his beloved shoes or cowboy boots. There was always plenty for Josh to do at his sister and brother-in-law’s farm, where he spent a lot of time. During the summer, he would go on backroad drives in search of deer, watch movies, ride the Ranger, and mess about on dirt bikes with his nephews. He relished the opportunity to spend quality time with his nephews.
Josh used to love wrecking yards on his dirt bike when he was a kid, and he still enjoys same activity now, when he helps out his nephews. Josh frequently helped out around the house in the shop, where he and his dad worked on various pieces of equipment. He particularly loved operating the snow blowers while supervising and guiding his nephew Taylon. Something Josh inherited from his mom was an innate talent for the kitchen. The meals he prepared occasionally were, to put it mildly, intriguing, but he always took great pride in his creations.
He would insist that you give them a go if he wanted you to. Every moment that Josh was there, whether it was laughing with friends, enjoying quality time with his family, or going on adventures, was treasured. Josh left an indelible mark on the world with his boundless energy, boundless love, and countless unforgettable moments. Attending Celebrate Recovery at Plainview Church of Christ brought Josh comfort and relief, despite his long struggle with addiction. The encouragement and friendship he received from his fellow recovery group members was invaluable to him.
Despite Josh’s best efforts, he was unable to achieve his goal of a life free from addiction. He would strongly encourage anyone dealing with comparable difficulties to reach out for help. Doug and Toni Wigham of Eyota are Josh’s parents. He is also survived by his grandparents Irene (Bill) Smith of Hawthorne, Florida, and Linda Kingsley of Eyota. Josh’s sister Nicole (Josh) Axley and their children Taylon, Cannon, and Layton of Elgin are also survivors. Additional relatives include cousins Marlee, Makena, Chris, Dan, and Agatha, as well as aunts and uncles Corey Kingsley, Mary (Chris) Musty, Jean (Bob) Thompson, and Chuck (Cathy) Wigham. Grandparents William Wigham and David (Crockett) Kingsley passed away before Josh was born.
Sched & Zabel Funeral Home in Eyota, Minnesota will host a visitation on Wednesday, April 3rd, from 5-8 pm, and the church will be open one hour before the ceremony on Thursday. Pastor Bob Blanshan will officiate the funeral ceremony on Thursday, April 4th at 1 pm at Plainview Church of Christ in Plainview, Minnesota. In the church fellowship hall, there will be a reception following the funeral service.
The memorial service honoring Josh’s life is open to the public. A graveside service is not being planned. Feel free to send memorial contributions to Plainview Church of Christ (memo: Celebrate Recovery) in place of flowers if that is more to your liking. The family would like to express their deepest appreciation to everyone who has supported Josh and his family during this challenging time and to those who have assisted him along the way.