Man dies after marriage wish granted

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A Springfield man has died after being granted his wish to marry his longtime fiancee.

Dale Wiest died Sunday, less than 48 hours after being married to Jacque Kerrick by a chaplain in his hospital room.

Wiest, 54, suffered from terminal cancer and congestive heart failure. His last dying wish was to marry the mother of his two children, a woman he had been engaged to for a dozen years.

The wedding was allowed to go forth Friday night, after the Greene County recorder of deeds waived a policy requiring couples to appear at the courthouse for a marriage license.

Recorder Linda Montgomery took the paperwork to the hospital Friday, and the service was performed a few hours later.

The funeral for Wiest is planned for Thursday.