REV. STEWART BRYAN WEST,
96 years of age,
passed away Sunday, July 12, 2009, at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon, VA
following an extended illness.
He was born July 6, 1913 in
Richmond VA to the late Herman Hyatt West and Daisy West. In addition to this
parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Mattie Swope West; his
second wife Atala Dunn West; his son James Bryan West on August 31, 2006; two
brothers Van Dyke and Herman West, and three sisters: Henrietta Rigel, Della
Lewis, and Molly Bossieux.
Mr. West was a veteran of
WWII. He entered service prior to the war and continued service throughout the
duration of the war. He then attended the Episcopal Seminary in Alexandria, VA
and served Episcopal churches in Goochland, VA; Mount Olivete in Franconia, VA;
Weston, West Virginia; Northern Neck of Virginia and Columbia, Virginia.
Mr West was a descendent of
Captain Speight Brock West who served at Gettysburg taking over the North
Carolina regiment when the colonel was wounded. He was a graduate of Virginia
Tech class of 1936 serving as the student colonel of the Cadet Corp and
receiving his degree in Electrical Engineering.
He was a life time member of
the Lions International serving for 50 years. He was a Melvin Jones Fellow of
Lions International having been nominated by District C of Virginia. He was
active in the Virginia Association of Workers for the Blind, serving on the
Board of Burkeville Lodge. He has been a generous supporter of numerous
programs at Virginia Tech and was a member of UT Prosim and the Legacy
societies. It was while he was a member of the Lion’s Club that he met his wife
Georgia Blankenship Robair West.
He is survived by his wife
Georgia and several neices, nephews, grand neices, and grand nephews including
Reuben Rigel and Sara Rigel of St. Louis, Anne Segar of San Francisco, Margaret
Conwell of Newport News, Jackson West of Houston, Stewart Dyke West of Chicago,
and Katherine Griffith of Nashville.
Funeral services for
STEWART BRYAN WEST will be conducted Thursday, July 16, 2009, at 1:00 P.M at
St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 124 East Main Street, Abingdon, VA with Rev. Dr.
Craig Wylie officiating with entombment to follow in the Levi Lester Cemetery,
Hurley, VA at a later date.
Friends may call for
visitation at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 124 East Main Street, Abingdon,
VA Thursday at 11:00 A.M. followed by funeral services at 1:00 P.M.
Active Pallbearers will be:
Family and friends.
The family suggest that
expressions of sympathy in form of a donation be made to the Grundy Lions Club,
P.O. Box 79, Grundy, VA 24614 or to the St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 124 East
Main Street, Abingdon, VA 24211.
Online condolences may be
sent to the family at www.grundyfuneralhome.com
Grundy Funeral Home of
Grundy is in charge of all arrangements.
