Carrie Marie Tiggs, 40, unexpectedly passed away in her sleep Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 6 am in her home in Anaheim Hills, Ca. She was born on May 29, 1976 in Indianapolis, Indiana to Patricia Marie Westenhaver and Michael Brown. Carrie graduated from Shelbyville High School in Shelbyville, Indiana 1994 in the top of her class. She moved to Indianapolis and later attended IUPUI University where she began her career studies in business management, half way through, life had other plans for her and motherhood became her priority. Jaiden Patricia Marie, her first-born, had became Carrie's whole world and from Jaiden's birth, the two forged a mother/daughter bond that is transcending. A love and bond matched only by the mother/son connection Carrie shares with Jaylen Savon, a very special relationship within itself because Jaylen was born with the disability of Hemophilia. Carrie's unconditionally, unwavering love for her children had her jump right in and began working and learning with the Hemophilia Association to better understand and care for her son as well as her daughter. The three of them were closer and stronger than any family could be, when faced with such a life challenge.
Carrie also managed and excelled in a successful sales career in the telecommunication industry, where she maintains a consistently high product sale percentage in cable television, internet, telephone and data. This won her numerous recognition awards, two promotions to lead sales and then trainer.
Carrie met Cartier and the two began an epic friendship, inevitability transforming into a love and passion that burns like Greek fire. Their love and life together has endured a great many life challenges. The biggest challenge was becoming the wife of a United States Marine, uprooting her life, as she knew it to moving her family to parts unknown and a start to a new life. The decision was not hard to make but leaving behind all that she had known was not easy to do.
Carrie started her new life in Yuma, Az on MCAS Yuma, a Marine Corps Air Base. Carrie's first priority was getting and keeping the family active. She joined the local YMCA and fitness became her passion. She got the children into youth sports programs on and off the base all year round. Carrie became the troop leader of the first Girl Scout Branch in Yuma. Her love of fitness drove her to become an instructor where she became certified in several fields of fitness instruction to include her passion, "ZUMBA". Carrie later got her certification as an instructor trainer and began training the next generation of fitness instructors.
Carrie was an accomplished and favored Zumba and fitness instructor in the community of Yuma on and off the Marine Base. She was also active in her kids' school working with the athletic and medical staffs as well as teachers. Carrie had additionally taken on the responsibilities of caring for her three nephews, moving them from Wisconsin to Arizona, when her sister fell on hard times. Carrie had cultivated strong, healthy connections with the community as a Mother, a health and fitness professional, a Marine wife and a friend.
On October 11, 2012 ,while Carrie was on her way to the gym for morning classes, she was hit by a drunk driver and nearly died in a tragic car accident where she was hit by a truck which had ran a red light. Carrie was in the hospital for two months, had several surgeries and was left unable to walk for the following three years. She had to undergo in-home recovery and physical therapy, using a wheel chair, a walker, then later crutches and then a cane, fighting to get her life back. Her and her family's life would never be the same. Through all of this, not only did she have Cartier, Jaiden and Jaylen standing by her side and supporting her, the local community and Marine base rallied to their aid and supported them.
June 1, 2014 Carrie and her family moved to Orange County to start a new chapter of their life. With them now out of the Marine Corps. Carrie follows Cartier to sunny California where they can build a permanent resident and enjoy their retirement years. In the short time Carrie became a Californian, she has watched her children graduate High School and she has gotten both Jaiden and Jaylen in College. Carrie had returned to the gym and started her fitness training again, she met and made a few dear friends that she spoke with or text often and maintained her friendships from Yuma all the way back to Indianapolis. On the days leading up to her last, Carrie was in no pain, had no grief. She was happy, full of life and love. She was there for the friends who were in a need and loved infinitely in return.
If Carrie called you "Friend" or "Family", it truly is an honor and a responsibility; she did not gift those titles lightly.
Carrie is the world to her husband and her Daughter and Son. We will be stronger for each other but we are now less than what we were.
Carrie is survived by her stepmother, Penny Brown, her sister Diana Brown, her devoted husband of 18 years, Cartier Tiggs, 45 and their remarkable daughter Jaiden Patricia Marie Stewart, 19 and extraordinary son Jaylen Savon Scott, 17, her fiercely loyal Chihuahuas Manny and Roxie. Email Condolences to www.ChapmanFuneralDirectors.com.