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William “Bill” Keith Wiggam, 79, passed away peacefully with family by his side on November 26, 2021. He was born in Jeffersonville, IN on October 16, 1942 to the late F. Keith and Verle M. (Sutton) Wiggam.
Bill was a proud 1960 graduate of Zionsville High School and a 1964 graduate of Purdue University earning an Engineering Design Degree.
Bill’s dad, Keith, started Carmel Welding back in 1948 as a black smith’s shop. Bill started working alongside his dad when he was merely five years old. He continued working with his dad throughout high school. During his high school years in Zionsville, IN, Bill played basketball and baseball all four years. He proudly played the clarinet for the marching band all four years as well.
*Fun fact: Many of his friends liked to call him “Wiggie!”
During college, Bill married his high school sweetheart. After graduation they moved back to Indianapolis where Bill briefly worked for International Harvester. Soon afterwards, Bill resumed his work alongside his father at Carmel Welding and never looked back. Bill and his wife raised two children, Deborah, and Billy. Bill was an avid fan of the kids throughout their school years. He cheered them on with their academics as well as through their athletic endeavors. Bill coached all of Billy’s little league baseball games and rarely missed a game. He helped Billy tie his hockey skates until he could properly tie them on his own. He was a huge cheerleader on the sidelines of Deborah’s basketball and soccer games - literally never missing a game. Bill taught the kids about the outdoors and often took the family on camping trips. Bill provided a fun and memorable childhood for the kids with other family trips to Hilton Head Island and Kingman, AZ as well as providing fun “toys” such as mini-bikes, go-carts, and boats. Deborah and Billy both grew up in the business, but Billy followed in his father’s footsteps as Bill mentored Billy to become his partner. (Deborah went into teaching and has been teaching since 1988.) Not only did Bill teach Billy “the ropes of the business,” but he also taught him how to hunt and how to use firearms appropriately. How fortunate for Billy and Bill to have had the privilege to work together each day - as father and son - but also as friends and business partners - just like Bill and “his” dad were able to do!
Later in life Bill met Donna who he fell in love with and married. Bill was happy to raise Donna’s daughter, Carla, as his own. He also welcomed her son, Jason, as often as he chose to visit. Bill and Donna have shared a beautiful life together - traveling to numerous places around the country and enjoying each other’s company.
Bill’s greatest passions included hunting down at his family cabin in southern Indiana, watching football and checking out his weekly “picks!,” and tending to his family business, Carmel Welding. Bill loved and appreciated his employees - current and past. He treated them as if they were his own family. Bill’s greatest passion was spending quality time with his kids and his grandchildren. This brought him such great joy.
Bill was a member of the American Welding Society, the Mid-America Equipment Dealers Association, Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), and the Carmel Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his niece, Susan Gorman.
He is survived by his wife, Donna Wiggam; sister, Judy (Greg) Lacy; daughter, Deborah Matatall; son, Billy (Kara) Wiggam; step-son Jason (Michelle) Lewin; step-daughter, Carla Stewart; grandchildren, William, Weston, and Joshua Matatall; Kasey and Abbey Wiggam; Makaela and Lexi Lewin; and Malaki and Jamisen Burba; nieces and nephews: Tod Trafelet, Kristy Parker, Rick VanAtta, Jason and Kristen Lacy; great nieces and nephews: Sam and Maggey Parker, Hannah and Kendall Lacy, Tony Williams and Lorena Gorman.
Family and friends will gather Thursday, December 2, 2021 from 4-7 pm in Carmel United Methodist Church, 621 S. Rangeline Road and Friday, December 3 at 10 am.
The Funeral Service will be held Friday, December 3 at 11 am in the church.
Burial will follow in Carmel Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions, in Bill’s memory, be given to the American Cancer Society or charity of your choice.
Bussell Family Funerals is privileged to assist the family in arrangements.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William "Bill" K. Wiggam, please visit our floral store.
American Cancer Society
P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City OK 73123
Tel: 1-800-227-2345
Web: http://www.cancer.org/