Dane Austin West

It is with profound sadness that we announce Dane Austin West passed away suddenly on March 6, 2024, while vacationing in Roatan, Honduras. He was 50 years old. Born in Houston, Texas, on November 23, 1973, Dane's early life in Houston and Colorado kick-started a larger-than-life journey of heart, hustle, and a suitcase always ready for the next adventure. Dane collected experiences the way some collect stamps, and he never met a challenge he didn't like or a destination he wouldn't explore. He was a man who approached life with passion, and he refused to let anything hold him back.

Dane was a highly driven individual who began his career at Nationwide Insurance with the savvy of a born salesman and a natural acumen for client relations. His professional journey was marked by a notable tenure in the insurance industry, and with his business smarts and an infectious charm, he could sell sand to a beach. He eventually planted his flag with CRC Group, where he celebrated his 20th year with the firm, and achieved his most profitable year in 2023. His two eldest children, who followed in his footsteps, played an integral role in his success.

While he lived for the art of the deal, family was the compass that guided Dane for most of his life, and he cherished his role as a father. His children were his true North, and his legacy will be carried on through Haddon Taylor Havens, Ella Peyton West, and Rylin Ava West. He is also survived by his loving mother, Sherrie McCarty, his uncle and aunt, Ronald and Nancye Zwink, and he leaves behind a tapestry of cousins and friends who all shared in his life's journey. Dane was preceded in death by his grandparents, Sherrill & Bernalice Westmoreland, along with his uncles and aunts, Don and Theda Jaggers, Johnny and Janice Westmoreland, his father, Dave Donaldson, his adoptive father, Bill West, and his step-dad, Larry McCarty.

An artist in his own right, Dane possessed a remarkable talent for architectural drawing, which he developed through self-taught instruction. His design and drawing skills were as finely tuned as his taste for the good life, and his life was enriched by extensive travels with his children, sharing his passion for the latest technologies, and a zest for life that led him to explore the world. Limo rides and fancy dinners were the norm, not the exception, for Dane, but he was just as comfortable hanging at the beach or at home with his children and/or his extended family. He especially enjoyed amusing himself with his three cats; Nya, by far, was his favorite. With the soul of an artist and the eye of an architect, Dane sketched his dreams onto the canvas of life, his self-taught mastery a silent ode to the beauty of structure and form. His was a dance of numbers and needs, each step a measure of his unyielding resolved to eclipse the ordinary, and he packed more into his 50 short years than most would in 150.

A funeral service to celebrate Dane's life will be held at 10 A.M. on Saturday, March 30, 2024 at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home (12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas, 77077), where stories will be told and memories will be shared to honor the best moments of his life. Forest Park will ensure family and friends are cared for with respect and dignity, and that this final farewell will be carried out with the style and panache that Dane would expect. The family kindly asks for no black attire; they would prefer guests dress in attire that is light and fun, in a style Dane would appreciate.

In this time of grief, we reflect on Dane's enduring impact on those who knew him. Dane always lived life in the express lane, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew and love him. There is no doubt he's up in heaven right now negotiating for the best view.