BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. — Hundreds of people gathered at Eastlake Community Church in Moneta Sunday morning, two days after a deadly tent collapse on the same grounds claimed the life of a beloved church member during what was supposed to be a joyful milestone celebration.
Bob Stouffer, 85, was killed Friday evening when a severe storm caused a large event tent to collapse during the church's 20th anniversary celebration. Twenty-two others were injured. Some of those who were injured were well enough to attend Sunday's service.
Pastor Troy Keaton opened the service with a direct and tender acknowledgment of the empty seat left by Stouffer's death.
Local News
Storms that caused deadly Va. tent collapse spawned dozens of damage reports
"There's an empty seat beside Nancy this morning because Bob went to heaven on Friday night, so Nancy, we just want you to know that we love you," Keaton said.
Keaton remembered Stouffer as a man whose generosity defined his decades of service to the congregation.
"For 20 years, Bob and Nancy fed all of us. One year, they had over 200 families in their home for a meal. They literally fed all of us and it's our turn to feed you," Keaton said.
Stouffer, one of the church's original members, had recently moved to Pennsylvania with his wife Nancy to be closer to family. The couple had returned to Virginia specifically for the 20th anniversary celebration.
RELATED: 85-year-old killed in Virginia church tent collapse remembered as 'pillar of congregation'
Keaton told the congregation that a double rainbow appeared in the sky just moments after the storm settled Friday evening. He said the image reinforced his faith in the face of tragedy.
"I've learned through it all to just trust Jesus," Keaton said.
Keaton said the congregation and community will continue to lean on one another in the days ahead.
"We do what people do and what Christians do in general when these moments happen. We put our arms around each other and trust in the Lord," Keaton said.
Acting Bedford County Fire and Rescue Chief Abbey Johnston said the storm moved through quickly, leaving little time to react. Preliminary National Weather Service reports show Friday's storm system produced 82 wind damage reports statewide and 35 in Southwest Virginia alone, stretching across multiple counties.
The tent collapse remains under investigation.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
