Wesley West

On Sunday evening April 9, God welcomed home a wonderful son, Wesley "Wes" T. West, known mostly by "Papa." Mr. West was born Sept. 11, 1929, in Yuma to Wesley P. West and Beatrice E. West. Wes graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1948 and met his wife on the trolley car and married Joyce "Jo" A. Patzel on Aug. 18, 1948, in Loveland. Due to polio in 1951 and 1952, he was excused from military service. They moved to southeastern Colorado in August 1950, where he worked for the Pueblo Army Depot for 15 years. He then moved in to Fowler on July 5, 1955. During that time, he was a Boy Scout and Girl Scout leader and helped at times with the Rainbow Girls. Most of the kids in Fowler knew him as "Dad." He came back to help his dad and brother with the Wesley P. West and Sons Construction in 1965. Then he went to work for Reid Burton Construction as a superintendent and for Lobar Construction Inc. until 2005. His handiwork is all over Fort Collins and many states. He was an avid fisherman. His fishing buddies were his brother, Johnny; neighbor, Ed Wick; grandson, Mike Blackford; and Bob Evenson. He also enjoyed hunting with his daughter, Lyn, in past years. Mr. West is survived by his wife, Joyce "Jo" West; sons, Les Jr. and his wife, Ginger, of Fort Collins, and Jimmy A. West and his wife, Marlene, of Manasamo, Wash.; daughters, Lyn L. Higby Huddleston and her husband, Don, of Pueblo, and Vicki West Evenson and her husband, Bob, of Fort Collins; brothers, Johnny E. West and his wife, Mary, of Fort Collins; sisters, Thelma "Funny" M. Fitzgerald, of Fort Collins, Arlene West, of Hoquim, Wash., and Donna L. West, of Seattle, Wash.; grandchildren, Shelly Steffen and Mike Blackford, both of Pueblo, Keli Olson and her husband, Skip, and Kodi Charvat and his wife, Michelle, of Loveland; great-grandchildren, James "Scooter" Steffen, of Wellington, Miranda "Mandy Lyn" Steffen, of Pueblo, Karlie Blackford, of Anchorage, Alaska, and Kailyn and Kamyrn, of Fort Collins; three step-grandchildren; and a step-granddaughter, of Rye; a very special godson, Kendall L. Elliott, and his wife, Bobbi; goddaughter, Erin Noel West, of Fort Collins; special nephews are Mark West and his wife, Deb, James West, Bubba and his wife, Teresa, of Aloha, Ore., Eric R. March, and his wife, Anita, Randy Strouse and his wife, Lita, of Topeka, Kan., Bobby Garner and his wife, Elaine, of Leeburg, Ga., Les Garner and his wife, Donna, of Fort Collins, Daren and Suzie Dahlgren, of Fort Collins, and Devin Dahlgren, of Seattle; special nieces are Wendy West, of Severance, Sheila Strouse, of Topeka, Kan., Lisa L. March, of Fort Collins; Cathy Olsen and husband, Spenser, of Fowler, Judy Raines, of Rockford, Ill., Pam Herwig, of Marco Island, Fla., Gina Greenwalt, of Fort Collins; a very special friend, Homer Yeager, of Pueblo; special neighbors, Ed and Nancy Wick, Paul and Anita Pellegrino, Edie Reese; numerous nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law; and many friends. He was loved and respected by all who knew him and a joy to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be missed by all. Mr. West is preceded in death by his parents, Wesley and Beatrice; a brother, Allcy P. West; sisters, Helen and Buelah; and a niece, Janice West Cope. Those who desire may view Wes from 12 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday. A funeral will be held 2 p.m. Thursday at Bohlender Funeral Chapel. Pastor David Huntwork will be officiating at the service. Family and friends of Wes are invited to a reception after the funeral at the family home, 1217 Columbine Court. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Neuropothy or Parkinson's in care of Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive St., Fort Collins, CO 80524.