FITCHBURG, Wis.— On Monday, the visitation and funeral for Erin West, the Abundant Life Christian School teacher who was shot and killed last week, was held in Fitchburg.
West’s funeral was held exactly one week from the day she and 14-year-old Rubi Vergara’s lives were taken during a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis.
It was an emotional day for many in the community and hundreds were in attendance. Doxa Church was filled with parishioners, members of the community and, of course, West's family.
“The reason we are here today is because something absolutely horrific has occurred,” Doxa Church Pastor Rob Warren said. “If you’re anything like me, there are so many thoughts, so many emotions, so many questions swirling around in my mind right now where I’m still just trying to make sense of everything and put the pieces together. It still doesn’t make sense."
West lost her life at just 42-years-old. She is a wife and mother of three girls.
During her funeral, worship songs and messages from her pastor and friends were heard by many. The messaging highlighted her faith and who she was as a Christian.
“In the end, many people knew and loved Erin very much,” Nate Kaloupeck, her friend, said. “And those of us who were blessed to be her friends and blessed to be in community with her knew that Erin loved Jesus very much. Her relationship with Jesus was the bedrock of her life and that’s what she would want me to tell you about her."
Warren said West would want the Gospel to be told and for people to hear the word of God during her funeral.
“Erin wouldn’t want anyone to walk out of here just thinking about how great she is,” he said. “But she would want everyone thinking about how great Jesus is. Jack [her husband] told me that she would want no doubt as to what today was about: The Gospel."
To many, West was known for her kindness, being a mother, a wife and most important to her, a child of God.