Margaret Lynn Berthelot West, 77, passed into her new life free from pain and tears on Monday November 7, 2022. Margaret was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on June 23, 1945, and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana. She leaves to remember how precious she was and to mourn her absence her husband of 55 years, Ronald W. West; her daughter Sharon West Radabaugh and husband Brett of Keithville, Louisiana; her son Michael W West and wife Betty of Lowell, Arkansas; and her son James S West of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Also grandchildren Jacob West, Knikki Newman, Triston Newman (and significant other Courtney House), Anthony Newman, Starlia Newman, and Cameron Reiley. Also her brother Rev Lee Corbett Berthelot, wife Miriam, and niece Evelyn Joy Berthelot Hearron.
Margaret was preceeded in death by her loving parents, father Lee Berthelot, Mother Ossian Evelyn Corbett Berthelot, and Step-mother Doris Page Berthelot.
Margaret and Ron met on the campus of Northwestern State College in Natchitoches, Louisiana, when they crossed paths at an intersection and were introduced by a new mutual friend, Gail Smith, of Bossier City, Louisiana. Both were in the first weeks of their first semester at their new college after transferring from their previous colleges. After graduating, and teaching a half year in Shreveport schools, Margaret boarded a plane and flew to Frankfurt, Germany, to connect with her soldier fiance. They were married by civil authorities (required) in Boblingen, Germany on Friday, February 17, 1967, and in an American Baptist Church in Ludwigsburg, Germany on Saturday, February 18, 1967, by pastor Melvin Hawthorne from Alexandria, Louisiana. For 55 years, they have celebrated both anniversaries equally.
After being discharged from the US Army, Margaret and Ron returned to Shreveport. Margaret taught in schools in Shreveport, Louisiana; Conroe and The Woodlands, Texas; and El Dorado and Rogers, Arkansas. In retirement they returned to Shreveport to care for their elderly parents, after which they realized they were the elderly parents.
Margaret and Ron were actively involved in Southern Baptist Churches wherever they lived, until their health interfered. They were a seed family from the First Baptist Church of The Woodlands, Texas, for the birth of a new neighborhood church, Sawdust Road Baptist Church in south Montgomery County, Texas. Many of their dearest lifelong friends have been from that 17 year fellowship.
Visitation is scheduled for Friday, November 11, 2022 from 11am to 1pm, followed by a graveside service at 1:30pm, at Centuries Memorial in Shreveport, LA.
