Wayne West of LaCoste, Texas, formerly of Briartown, Oklahoma 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 decendant. 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 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 is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Carole Elise Crucius West of the home; son, Robert Wayne West and wife Janie; daughter, Karen Lynn West Sanchez and husband David; daughter, Linda Lee West Aguilar and husband Martin; son, Scott Alan West and wife Melissa; and daughter, Rebecca LeAnn West; grandchildren, Jessica Salazar, Michael West, Taylor West, Amanda Davila, Alyce Saldana, David Sanchez Jr., Daniel Sanchez, Michelle Williams, Melissa West, Nathaniel Aguilar and Joseph Aguilar; and great-grandchildren, Brianna Hernandez, Lyric Hernandez, Emma Salazar, Kaylee West, Gabriel Saldana- Hernandez and Analia Davila. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-law, Robert Crucius; niece, Laura Klitzka his aunt, Lucy West; uncles, Frank, Clem and Mitchell West; and grandson-in-law, Corey Williams.
Viewing will be held Friday, April 18, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Sunset Funeral Home on Austin Highway. Funeral services will be held April 19 at 11 a.m. at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, with Pastor K.T. DeVries officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Robert West, Michael West, Martin Aguilar, Nathaniel Aguilar, Joseph Aguilar, David Sanchez Sr., David Sanchez Jr. and Daniel Sanchez.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18