Love Thy Neighbor: LaGrange Commemorates Grand Junction’s Tornado Anniversary
By: Hannah Thompson
On Saturday, March 7, 2026, the City of LaGrange, Tennessee held a commemorative event in remembrance of the tornado that destroyed parts of neighboring town, Grand Junction, last April. Several volunteers gathered to paint four large barn quilt panels. The panels will honor and memorialize victims of the devastating tornado, including the death of a father and his 16 year old daughter.
“LaGrange hosted a wonderful painting program to let us know we haven’t been forgotten in Grand Junction and are loved by our neighbors. We are looking forward to a bright future and we thank Kathie Lee and everyone that put this together for us,” shared Donna Lane, wife of Grand Junction Mayor, Curtis Lane.
Last April, the Community Task Force (CTF) of LaGrange was awarded the “Do Good and Share” grant. The grant is intended to benefit the community through art. LaGrange’s CTF has been working with resident artist, Susie Logan, who designed and developed the barn quilt project. The barn quilt trail extends from LaGrange further into Hardeman County. The series of quilt panels represent the four stages of the natural disaster: Before the Storm, The Storm Moving In, The Tornado, and The Phoenix Tree of Life.
The panels will be dedicated on the anniversary of the fateful day at the Immanuel Episcopal Church on Good Friday at 10am (April 3.) The City of Grand Junction will have a public installation ceremony and ribbon cutting for the newly rebuilt Fire Department and Water Department, of which were destroyed by the tornado, on Easter Monday at 10am (April 6) at Hess Garage.
The Easter holiday themes will be appropriately reflected throughout the ceremonies, as the communities honor life, death, and resurrection. During the final week before His crucifixion, Jesus gave this command: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:39). LaGrange has honored this commandment in a beautifully artistic form.
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