Donald Laverne West, 74, of Fitzgerald, Georgia died Sunday, October 13, 2013, at his residence.
Funeral services will be held 2 PM, Tuesday, October 15, 2013, at the Nazarene Church in Fitzgerald with the Rev. Dan Hayes and the Rev. David Ash officiating. Interment will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.
Mr. West was born July 30, 1939, in Ben Hill County, Georgia, to the late Jack Laverne West and Eunice Mae Smith West Ware. He received his associate’s degree in food service management and was director for Meals on Wheels, and later became a former manager of the Senior Citizens Center in Gainesville, Florida. He was a veteran of the U. S. Navy, serving his country from 1957 until 1961. Mr. West enjoyed traveling, loved music, playing several different instruments. He enjoyed sharing what he called Life Laws: “plan your work and work your plan, a place for everything and everything in its place, if you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” He was a member of the Church of the Nazarene in Fitzgerald.
He is survived by five children: Kathy and Doug Shealey of Fitzgerald, Janice and David Pope of Dublin, Donna and Matt Matthews of Harlem, Jack and Ashley West of Crestview, Florida and Mary Wilson of Twin City; one daughter-in-law: Cayce Williams of Fredericksburg, Virginia; one sister: Jean West of Fitzgerald; eight grandchildren: Austin Matthews, Meghan Matthews, Dawlton Matthews, Jason Shealey, Katelyn Shealey, Emery Keele, Aiden West and Christy and Matt Benson who are expecting Mr. West’s first great-grandchild. Also surviving Mr. West: Mary West of Lithia Springs and Dale West of Harlem. In addition to his parents; he was preceded in death by one son: Charles Keele.