It has taken me some time to find the words to write this, and even now, I’m not sure I can fully capture what Tess Wiggins meant to me—and to our entire WAMFT community. Her passing is a profound loss, and it’s difficult to articulate the depth of her presence, influence, and impact.
Tess was one of the very first members of WAMFT I met. I reached out with an idea to start building more connection in Eastern Washington, and she immediately responded with her characteristic energy and encouragement. With her help, the WAMFT Spokane Networking Group came to life. From that point on, she was a constant presence in my journey—cheering me on, offering guidance, and reminding me of the value of showing up.
Tess served in so many roles throughout her time with WAMFT: historian, advisor, cheerleader, and friend. I know I would not have the sense of community or level of involvement I do today without her unwavering support—and I know that sentiment is shared by many.
She was the embodiment of servant leadership—always willing to answer the call, whether that meant serving as WAMFT President (twice), mentoring new leaders, or stepping in to support during times of transition. She led with grace, wisdom, and deep care for the profession and the people within it.
In 2019, former WAMFT President Jennifer Sampson nominated Tess for Volunteer of the Year. Her words capture Tess’s heart and dedication so well:
“Tess has been a guiding light in seeing WAMFT through major transitions of organizational restructuring and bylaws changes, following a time when WAMFT was in a fair amount of upheaval in 2016.
Tess has deep institutional knowledge of WAMFT and AAMFT through her many years of service both at the state and national levels. This knowledge has been instrumental in guiding the current young board in creating infrastructure through setting policies and procedures in place in order to benefit the organization and membership at large.
Her patience and dedication to the organization is admirable—this year alone, in her role as Past President, she served in an advisory role assisting in reviving the Ethics, Training, and Standards Committee and the Membership Committee. She graciously chaired the Holiday Party committee and served on the Bylaws Task Force.
Tess’s passion for the field of marriage and family therapy has not just been noticed and recognized locally; she was also the recipient of the 2018 AAMFT Volunteer of the Year for her long history of service to the organization and to our professional field.
The state of our profession and organization in Washington would certainly not be at the place of renewal, growth, and development that it currently is without Tess steering the ship.”
Tess leaves behind a legacy of connection, advocacy, and wholehearted leadership. Her presence helped shape the direction of WAMFT, and her influence will continue to be felt for years to come.
We invite you to join us in remembering and celebrating Tess. If you have a memory, message, or reflection you’d like to share, we welcome you to do so in the comments below. Let’s honor her by lifting up the stories of how she touched each of our lives.
Thank you, Tess—for everything. You led with heart, and we are better because of you.
Tess was also the first LMFT I met in WA when I'd just moved to Bellingham and she welcomed me. Her enthusiasm and dedication were contagious and I enjoyed many hours chatting with her over coffee before she moved south. I had been thinking about reconnecting with her a few days ago and was very sorry to hear that she'd passed. She will be missed.