Don, son of Ray & Doris West, married Marion Elizabeth Shepard 18 Jan 1953 in California. Marion preceded Don in death 22 Jan 1998 in Weaverville, California.
OBITUARY:
San Francisco Chronicle
Don West -- former Examiner bureau chief
Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Published 04:00 a.m., Thursday, August 19, 2004
Don West, an award-winning reporter for the San Francisco Examiner and the author of books about the Patricia Hearst kidnapping and two Santa Cruz serial murderers, has died.
Mr. West died Friday of kidney failure in a Eureka hospital. He was 76.
Stocky, with a gray beard and a deep, infectious laugh, Mr. West was a longtime Examiner bureau chief in San Mateo County, where he was admired by his colleagues for his thorough and tenacious reporting.
"Don was, first and foremost, a very good listener," said his friend, former Chronicle reporter Bill Workman. "He endeared himself to people, and he had a questioning mind and a great laugh. He was the kind of fellow you just developed a trust in."
Mr. West was a native of Fredonia, Kan., a graduate of Montana State University and a U.S. Navy veteran. He was a singing waiter in San Francisco and a miner in Arizona before becoming interested in journalism. He owned news services in San Diego and Sacramento and ran a newspaper in Perris (Riverside County) before joining the Examiner in the 1970s.
He presided over the pressroom in the Redwood City courthouse, where he seemed to know every politician, judge and mail clerk in the building.
At the Examiner, he wrote a three-days-a-week political column and won several journalism prizes, including awards for his series on the smuggling of Mexican immigrants and for his feature stories. His book "Sacrifice Unto Me," about Santa Cruz serial murderers Edmund Kemper and Herbert Mullin, was published in 1974. His book "Patty/Tania" on the Patricia Hearst kidnapping was published the following year.
"Don had a foxy-old-grandpa way about him," recalled Bill Boldenweck, a friend and fellow Examiner reporter. "He was interested in anything and everything. I never met a better newsman."
For many years, Mr. West had been working on a biography of Henry Gonzalez, the powerful U.S. congressman from Texas who died in 2000. The book will be finished by a co-author.
He was a longtime resident of Santa Cruz, where he was the co-owner with two newspaper colleagues of M'Lady, a handsome but very slow wooden sailboat.
After leaving the Examiner in the 1980s, Mr. West worked as a private investigator for Burlingame lawyer Joseph Cotchett, where he tenaciously tracked down the assets of savings and loan swindler Charles Keating. He also hosted a political news show on a San Jose public TV station and wrote a travel book about the San Mateo County coast.
For many years he was a resident of Weaverville (Trinity County), where he served on the county Democratic Central Committee and contributed to the Trinity Journal newspaper.
Mr. West is survived by four siblings: Dorothy Miner and Betty Barker of Phoenix, Bob West of Sun City (Riverside County) and Carol Davis of Scottsdale, Ariz. Mr. West's wife of 45 years, Marian, died six years ago.
A memorial celebration of Mr. West's life will be held Sept. 12 at 3 p.m. at 502 Center St. in Weaverville. Donations may be sent to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 E. 33rd St., New York, NY 10016.
(San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Don-West-former-Examiner-bureau-chief-2732257.php)
OBITUARY:
San Francisco Chronicle
Don West -- former Examiner bureau chief
Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Published 04:00 a.m., Thursday, August 19, 2004
Don West, an award-winning reporter for the San Francisco Examiner and the author of books about the Patricia Hearst kidnapping and two Santa Cruz serial murderers, has died.
Mr. West died Friday of kidney failure in a Eureka hospital. He was 76.
Stocky, with a gray beard and a deep, infectious laugh, Mr. West was a longtime Examiner bureau chief in San Mateo County, where he was admired by his colleagues for his thorough and tenacious reporting.
"Don was, first and foremost, a very good listener," said his friend, former Chronicle reporter Bill Workman. "He endeared himself to people, and he had a questioning mind and a great laugh. He was the kind of fellow you just developed a trust in."
Mr. West was a native of Fredonia, Kan., a graduate of Montana State University and a U.S. Navy veteran. He was a singing waiter in San Francisco and a miner in Arizona before becoming interested in journalism. He owned news services in San Diego and Sacramento and ran a newspaper in Perris (Riverside County) before joining the Examiner in the 1970s.
He presided over the pressroom in the Redwood City courthouse, where he seemed to know every politician, judge and mail clerk in the building.
At the Examiner, he wrote a three-days-a-week political column and won several journalism prizes, including awards for his series on the smuggling of Mexican immigrants and for his feature stories. His book "Sacrifice Unto Me," about Santa Cruz serial murderers Edmund Kemper and Herbert Mullin, was published in 1974. His book "Patty/Tania" on the Patricia Hearst kidnapping was published the following year.
"Don had a foxy-old-grandpa way about him," recalled Bill Boldenweck, a friend and fellow Examiner reporter. "He was interested in anything and everything. I never met a better newsman."
For many years, Mr. West had been working on a biography of Henry Gonzalez, the powerful U.S. congressman from Texas who died in 2000. The book will be finished by a co-author.
He was a longtime resident of Santa Cruz, where he was the co-owner with two newspaper colleagues of M'Lady, a handsome but very slow wooden sailboat.
After leaving the Examiner in the 1980s, Mr. West worked as a private investigator for Burlingame lawyer Joseph Cotchett, where he tenaciously tracked down the assets of savings and loan swindler Charles Keating. He also hosted a political news show on a San Jose public TV station and wrote a travel book about the San Mateo County coast.
For many years he was a resident of Weaverville (Trinity County), where he served on the county Democratic Central Committee and contributed to the Trinity Journal newspaper.
Mr. West is survived by four siblings: Dorothy Miner and Betty Barker of Phoenix, Bob West of Sun City (Riverside County) and Carol Davis of Scottsdale, Ariz. Mr. West's wife of 45 years, Marian, died six years ago.
A memorial celebration of Mr. West's life will be held Sept. 12 at 3 p.m. at 502 Center St. in Weaverville. Donations may be sent to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 E. 33rd St., New York, NY 10016.
(San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Don-West-former-Examiner-bureau-chief-2732257.php)
Don, son of Ray & Doris West, married Marion Elizabeth Shepard 18 Jan 1953 in California. Marion preceded Don in death 22 Jan 1998 in Weaverville, California.
OBITUARY:
San Francisco Chronicle
Don West -- former Examiner bureau chief
Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Published 04:00 a.m., Thursday, August 19, 2004
Don West, an award-winning reporter for the San Francisco Examiner and the author of books about the Patricia Hearst kidnapping and two Santa Cruz serial murderers, has died.
Mr. West died Friday of kidney failure in a Eureka hospital. He was 76.
Stocky, with a gray beard and a deep, infectious laugh, Mr. West was a longtime Examiner bureau chief in San Mateo County, where he was admired by his colleagues for his thorough and tenacious reporting.
"Don was, first and foremost, a very good listener," said his friend, former Chronicle reporter Bill Workman. "He endeared himself to people, and he had a questioning mind and a great laugh. He was the kind of fellow you just developed a trust in."
Mr. West was a native of Fredonia, Kan., a graduate of Montana State University and a U.S. Navy veteran. He was a singing waiter in San Francisco and a miner in Arizona before becoming interested in journalism. He owned news services in San Diego and Sacramento and ran a newspaper in Perris (Riverside County) before joining the Examiner in the 1970s.
He presided over the pressroom in the Redwood City courthouse, where he seemed to know every politician, judge and mail clerk in the building.
At the Examiner, he wrote a three-days-a-week political column and won several journalism prizes, including awards for his series on the smuggling of Mexican immigrants and for his feature stories. His book "Sacrifice Unto Me," about Santa Cruz serial murderers Edmund Kemper and Herbert Mullin, was published in 1974. His book "Patty/Tania" on the Patricia Hearst kidnapping was published the following year.
"Don had a foxy-old-grandpa way about him," recalled Bill Boldenweck, a friend and fellow Examiner reporter. "He was interested in anything and everything. I never met a better newsman."
For many years, Mr. West had been working on a biography of Henry Gonzalez, the powerful U.S. congressman from Texas who died in 2000. The book will be finished by a co-author.
He was a longtime resident of Santa Cruz, where he was the co-owner with two newspaper colleagues of M'Lady, a handsome but very slow wooden sailboat.
After leaving the Examiner in the 1980s, Mr. West worked as a private investigator for Burlingame lawyer Joseph Cotchett, where he tenaciously tracked down the assets of savings and loan swindler Charles Keating. He also hosted a political news show on a San Jose public TV station and wrote a travel book about the San Mateo County coast.
For many years he was a resident of Weaverville (Trinity County), where he served on the county Democratic Central Committee and contributed to the Trinity Journal newspaper.
Mr. West is survived by four siblings: Dorothy Miner and Betty Barker of Phoenix, Bob West of Sun City (Riverside County) and Carol Davis of Scottsdale, Ariz. Mr. West's wife of 45 years, Marian, died six years ago.
A memorial celebration of Mr. West's life will be held Sept. 12 at 3 p.m. at 502 Center St. in Weaverville. Donations may be sent to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 E. 33rd St., New York, NY 10016.
(San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Don-West-former-Examiner-bureau-chief-2732257.php)
OBITUARY:
San Francisco Chronicle
Don West -- former Examiner bureau chief
Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Published 04:00 a.m., Thursday, August 19, 2004
Don West, an award-winning reporter for the San Francisco Examiner and the author of books about the Patricia Hearst kidnapping and two Santa Cruz serial murderers, has died.
Mr. West died Friday of kidney failure in a Eureka hospital. He was 76.
Stocky, with a gray beard and a deep, infectious laugh, Mr. West was a longtime Examiner bureau chief in San Mateo County, where he was admired by his colleagues for his thorough and tenacious reporting.
"Don was, first and foremost, a very good listener," said his friend, former Chronicle reporter Bill Workman. "He endeared himself to people, and he had a questioning mind and a great laugh. He was the kind of fellow you just developed a trust in."
Mr. West was a native of Fredonia, Kan., a graduate of Montana State University and a U.S. Navy veteran. He was a singing waiter in San Francisco and a miner in Arizona before becoming interested in journalism. He owned news services in San Diego and Sacramento and ran a newspaper in Perris (Riverside County) before joining the Examiner in the 1970s.
He presided over the pressroom in the Redwood City courthouse, where he seemed to know every politician, judge and mail clerk in the building.
At the Examiner, he wrote a three-days-a-week political column and won several journalism prizes, including awards for his series on the smuggling of Mexican immigrants and for his feature stories. His book "Sacrifice Unto Me," about Santa Cruz serial murderers Edmund Kemper and Herbert Mullin, was published in 1974. His book "Patty/Tania" on the Patricia Hearst kidnapping was published the following year.
"Don had a foxy-old-grandpa way about him," recalled Bill Boldenweck, a friend and fellow Examiner reporter. "He was interested in anything and everything. I never met a better newsman."
For many years, Mr. West had been working on a biography of Henry Gonzalez, the powerful U.S. congressman from Texas who died in 2000. The book will be finished by a co-author.
He was a longtime resident of Santa Cruz, where he was the co-owner with two newspaper colleagues of M'Lady, a handsome but very slow wooden sailboat.
After leaving the Examiner in the 1980s, Mr. West worked as a private investigator for Burlingame lawyer Joseph Cotchett, where he tenaciously tracked down the assets of savings and loan swindler Charles Keating. He also hosted a political news show on a San Jose public TV station and wrote a travel book about the San Mateo County coast.
For many years he was a resident of Weaverville (Trinity County), where he served on the county Democratic Central Committee and contributed to the Trinity Journal newspaper.
Mr. West is survived by four siblings: Dorothy Miner and Betty Barker of Phoenix, Bob West of Sun City (Riverside County) and Carol Davis of Scottsdale, Ariz. Mr. West's wife of 45 years, Marian, died six years ago.
A memorial celebration of Mr. West's life will be held Sept. 12 at 3 p.m. at 502 Center St. in Weaverville. Donations may be sent to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 E. 33rd St., New York, NY 10016.
(San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Don-West-former-Examiner-bureau-chief-2732257.php)
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