WYOMING, Mich. — Funeral arrangements have been announced for Dean J. Elliott, a pastor killed in a wrong-way crash on US-131 Sunday.
Elliott, 63, was the first pastor at Living Hope Assembly of God in Caledonia and also spent some time at Fennville Assembly of God.
Visitations and the funeral service for Elliott will take place this Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, April 7, there will be visitations from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Cook Funeral Home, located at 2067 84th St. SW in Byron Center.
On Saturday, April 8, there will be a second visitation from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Grand Rapids First, located at 2100 44th St. SW in Wyoming.
Following the visitation on Saturday, a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. at Grand Rapids First.
Wayne Benson, a former fellow pastor and friend of Elliott, shared his memories with 13 ON YOUR SIDE.
"I started getting texts from around the country, people that knew that I would want to know, because I've been close to the family all these years. And I just have to say, I was heartbroken," said Benson, former pastor at Grand Rapids First Assembly of God and Brightmoor Tabernacle Church in Novi.
Other than pastoring, Elliott focused on ministry, often speaking at churches and raising money for ministry projects.
"He was noted for coming alongside some of the great missionaries that have served there, or some of the pastors who started churches in India and today, these churches are we're talking like churches of 20,000, 30,000, 40,000 people," said Benson. "But he helped them and came alongside them help raise money, help promote those ministries."
Fennville Assembly of God Church also shared a statement about Elliott on their Facebook page:
"Our hearts are grieving the sudden loss of our former Pastor Dean Elliott, who was killed in a car accident this morning while on his way to a preaching assignment. Please pray for his wife Brenda and their children, Nathan and Lauren."
The crash that claimed Elliott's life is still under investigation. It happened Sunday morning around 8:30 a.m. when a 30-year-old man from Grand Rapids was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of US-131 and hit Elliott's vehicle head-on.
Elliott died from his injuries and the wrong-way driver was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
Police believe alcohol may be a factor in this crash.
Any witnesses of the wrong-way driver are encouraged to contact Michigan State Police at (616) 866-4411.
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