Wayne West of LaCoste, Texas, formerly of Briartown, was born July 31, 1933, in Briartown to Jack and Gladys Norman West and passed away April 15, 2014, in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of 80.
He grew up in Briartown and Midwest City, where he graduated from Midwest City High School in 1951. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1973, serving in Thailand and Vietnam during the Vietnam Conflict, and in the Korean War. He was also stationed in Spain, Okinawa, Greenland, Turkey and Germany.
He was a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a Nancy Ward descendant.
He worked for Southern Pacific Railroad in San Antonio for 10 years, served as a Bexar County Sheriff's deputy for 10 years, worked as a San Antonio Park Police officer and as a security officer before retiring at the age of 65. He was a lifetime member of the Stigler VFW Post No. 4446 and also served with the Honor Guard.
He and Carole were foster parents for more than 250 infants and children from 1973 to 2003.
He was a hard worker, supporting all of his family to the best of his ability. He loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was always generous to everyone he met. He was sometimes ornery and loved to tease people. He could be stubborn and often said, "I might not always be right, but I ain't never wrong!"
He loved spending time in Briartown, sitting on the front porch watching the sunsets.
The family teased him that he was a cat with nine lives, as he survived a rollover truck accident in 2004, survived two bouts with cancer and several bouts of serious illness. In 2009, he fell and broke his hip and suffered with bone pain and failed hip replacement, but he mostly was upset that he couldn't get around as easily as he once did.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law, Karl and Ruth Crucius; brother-in-law, Robert Crucius; niece, Laura Crucius Klitzka; aunt, Lucy West; uncles, Frank, Clem and Mitchell West; and grandson-in-law, Corey Williams.
Funeral services were held April 19 at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in San Antonio, with Pastor K.T. DeVries officiating. Burial followed at Sunset Memorial Park under the direction of Sunset Funeral Home. A memorial service with full military honors will be held at a future date at Briartown Cemetery.
"He has lived an amazing life and done so much more good than I could ever do. We must celebrate his life. He is a military veteran, a retired railroad worker, a San Antonio Policeman, a San Antonio Park Ranger, and one hell of a grumpy old man. All of those deserve our respect and no love loss. If it is his time, it is simply his time. I too share the selfish feeling of loss and sadness. But we need the closure, not him. If he should pass, celebrate his greatness, laugh at remembering his bad jokes, laugh at his falling asleep whenever hitting a comfortable chair, smile at his own humor of getting old - falling apart - and yet still finding a smartass way to bring a smile to your face. Love the "why do you have your name tattooed on your arm?" "In case I forget." I cannot be there - but this is how I remember my Dad." [Child] West
[Survivors removed to protect their privacy.]
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Also remembered in Briartown Cemetery.
He grew up in Briartown and Midwest City, where he graduated from Midwest City High School in 1951. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1973, serving in Thailand and Vietnam during the Vietnam Conflict, and in the Korean War. He was also stationed in Spain, Okinawa, Greenland, Turkey and Germany.
He was a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a Nancy Ward descendant.
He worked for Southern Pacific Railroad in San Antonio for 10 years, served as a Bexar County Sheriff's deputy for 10 years, worked as a San Antonio Park Police officer and as a security officer before retiring at the age of 65. He was a lifetime member of the Stigler VFW Post No. 4446 and also served with the Honor Guard.
He and Carole were foster parents for more than 250 infants and children from 1973 to 2003.
He was a hard worker, supporting all of his family to the best of his ability. He loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was always generous to everyone he met. He was sometimes ornery and loved to tease people. He could be stubborn and often said, "I might not always be right, but I ain't never wrong!"
He loved spending time in Briartown, sitting on the front porch watching the sunsets.
The family teased him that he was a cat with nine lives, as he survived a rollover truck accident in 2004, survived two bouts with cancer and several bouts of serious illness. In 2009, he fell and broke his hip and suffered with bone pain and failed hip replacement, but he mostly was upset that he couldn't get around as easily as he once did.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law, Karl and Ruth Crucius; brother-in-law, Robert Crucius; niece, Laura Crucius Klitzka; aunt, Lucy West; uncles, Frank, Clem and Mitchell West; and grandson-in-law, Corey Williams.
Funeral services were held April 19 at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in San Antonio, with Pastor K.T. DeVries officiating. Burial followed at Sunset Memorial Park under the direction of Sunset Funeral Home. A memorial service with full military honors will be held at a future date at Briartown Cemetery.
"He has lived an amazing life and done so much more good than I could ever do. We must celebrate his life. He is a military veteran, a retired railroad worker, a San Antonio Policeman, a San Antonio Park Ranger, and one hell of a grumpy old man. All of those deserve our respect and no love loss. If it is his time, it is simply his time. I too share the selfish feeling of loss and sadness. But we need the closure, not him. If he should pass, celebrate his greatness, laugh at remembering his bad jokes, laugh at his falling asleep whenever hitting a comfortable chair, smile at his own humor of getting old - falling apart - and yet still finding a smartass way to bring a smile to your face. Love the "why do you have your name tattooed on your arm?" "In case I forget." I cannot be there - but this is how I remember my Dad." [Child] West
[Survivors removed to protect their privacy.]
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Also remembered in Briartown Cemetery.
Wayne West of LaCoste, Texas, formerly of Briartown, was born July 31, 1933, in Briartown to Jack and Gladys Norman West and passed away April 15, 2014, in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of 80.
He grew up in Briartown and Midwest City, where he graduated from Midwest City High School in 1951. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1973, serving in Thailand and Vietnam during the Vietnam Conflict, and in the Korean War. He was also stationed in Spain, Okinawa, Greenland, Turkey and Germany.
He was a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a Nancy Ward descendant.
He worked for Southern Pacific Railroad in San Antonio for 10 years, served as a Bexar County Sheriff's deputy for 10 years, worked as a San Antonio Park Police officer and as a security officer before retiring at the age of 65. He was a lifetime member of the Stigler VFW Post No. 4446 and also served with the Honor Guard.
He and Carole were foster parents for more than 250 infants and children from 1973 to 2003.
He was a hard worker, supporting all of his family to the best of his ability. He loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was always generous to everyone he met. He was sometimes ornery and loved to tease people. He could be stubborn and often said, "I might not always be right, but I ain't never wrong!"
He loved spending time in Briartown, sitting on the front porch watching the sunsets.
The family teased him that he was a cat with nine lives, as he survived a rollover truck accident in 2004, survived two bouts with cancer and several bouts of serious illness. In 2009, he fell and broke his hip and suffered with bone pain and failed hip replacement, but he mostly was upset that he couldn't get around as easily as he once did.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law, Karl and Ruth Crucius; brother-in-law, Robert Crucius; niece, Laura Crucius Klitzka; aunt, Lucy West; uncles, Frank, Clem and Mitchell West; and grandson-in-law, Corey Williams.
Funeral services were held April 19 at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in San Antonio, with Pastor K.T. DeVries officiating. Burial followed at Sunset Memorial Park under the direction of Sunset Funeral Home. A memorial service with full military honors will be held at a future date at Briartown Cemetery.
"He has lived an amazing life and done so much more good than I could ever do. We must celebrate his life. He is a military veteran, a retired railroad worker, a San Antonio Policeman, a San Antonio Park Ranger, and one hell of a grumpy old man. All of those deserve our respect and no love loss. If it is his time, it is simply his time. I too share the selfish feeling of loss and sadness. But we need the closure, not him. If he should pass, celebrate his greatness, laugh at remembering his bad jokes, laugh at his falling asleep whenever hitting a comfortable chair, smile at his own humor of getting old - falling apart - and yet still finding a smartass way to bring a smile to your face. Love the "why do you have your name tattooed on your arm?" "In case I forget." I cannot be there - but this is how I remember my Dad." [Child] West
[Survivors removed to protect their privacy.]
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Also remembered in Briartown Cemetery.
He grew up in Briartown and Midwest City, where he graduated from Midwest City High School in 1951. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1973, serving in Thailand and Vietnam during the Vietnam Conflict, and in the Korean War. He was also stationed in Spain, Okinawa, Greenland, Turkey and Germany.
He was a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a Nancy Ward descendant.
He worked for Southern Pacific Railroad in San Antonio for 10 years, served as a Bexar County Sheriff's deputy for 10 years, worked as a San Antonio Park Police officer and as a security officer before retiring at the age of 65. He was a lifetime member of the Stigler VFW Post No. 4446 and also served with the Honor Guard.
He and Carole were foster parents for more than 250 infants and children from 1973 to 2003.
He was a hard worker, supporting all of his family to the best of his ability. He loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was always generous to everyone he met. He was sometimes ornery and loved to tease people. He could be stubborn and often said, "I might not always be right, but I ain't never wrong!"
He loved spending time in Briartown, sitting on the front porch watching the sunsets.
The family teased him that he was a cat with nine lives, as he survived a rollover truck accident in 2004, survived two bouts with cancer and several bouts of serious illness. In 2009, he fell and broke his hip and suffered with bone pain and failed hip replacement, but he mostly was upset that he couldn't get around as easily as he once did.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law, Karl and Ruth Crucius; brother-in-law, Robert Crucius; niece, Laura Crucius Klitzka; aunt, Lucy West; uncles, Frank, Clem and Mitchell West; and grandson-in-law, Corey Williams.
Funeral services were held April 19 at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in San Antonio, with Pastor K.T. DeVries officiating. Burial followed at Sunset Memorial Park under the direction of Sunset Funeral Home. A memorial service with full military honors will be held at a future date at Briartown Cemetery.
"He has lived an amazing life and done so much more good than I could ever do. We must celebrate his life. He is a military veteran, a retired railroad worker, a San Antonio Policeman, a San Antonio Park Ranger, and one hell of a grumpy old man. All of those deserve our respect and no love loss. If it is his time, it is simply his time. I too share the selfish feeling of loss and sadness. But we need the closure, not him. If he should pass, celebrate his greatness, laugh at remembering his bad jokes, laugh at his falling asleep whenever hitting a comfortable chair, smile at his own humor of getting old - falling apart - and yet still finding a smartass way to bring a smile to your face. Love the "why do you have your name tattooed on your arm?" "In case I forget." I cannot be there - but this is how I remember my Dad." [Child] West
[Survivors removed to protect their privacy.]
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Also remembered in Briartown Cemetery.
