Theo West, 83, of Beaumont passed away peacefully following a short illness on July 3, 2010 at Atria Collier Park Living Center. He was born July 17, 1926 in Beaumont to Ralph and Bernice West.
Theo enlisted in the United States Coast Guard as a merchant seaman shortly after graduating from Beaumont High School in 1943. There he served as a “purser” to the ship’s captain. He went to college at Lamar and went to work for Sun Oil Co. in 1948, where he pursued a career of thirty-eight years as Joint Venture Specialist in Beaumont and Dallas before retiring in 1989.
He and his wife Carolyn were very active in the Vidor and Beaumont communities, serving as volunteers at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth and were named Vidor Citizens of the Year in 2001.
Their hobbies were traveling, gardening and taking care of their animals. Theo recently received an award as Veteran of the United States Merchant Marines with his story to be preserved in the United States Library of Congress.
He is survived by his first wife, Joyce Truell Bruneman of Phoenix, Arizona; sons, Gene West and his wife Gail of Clear Lake, Dan West and his wife Angela of Nederland and Kenneth Lee West of Colorado Springs, Colorado; daughter, Kathy Robinson and her husband Ricky of Iuka, Mississippi; sisters-in-law, Maurine West of Baytown and Margaret Bracewell of Vidor; and many nephews, nieces, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Theo was preceded in death by his second wife, Laura Banks Jackson and the “love of his life” for thirty-eight years, Mary Carolyn West; brother, H.G. “Gordon” West; and his parents, Ralph and Bernice West.
The family wishes to thank all the caregivers that helped Theo live with dignity his last few months, especially Angela West, who spent countless hours in his final weeks caring for him. And Tina Comeaux, Jackie Dowden and all the guys and gals at the “coffee shop”. A special thanks to Sandra Sonnier of Port Neches for her five years of untiring care after the passing of Carolyn. A loving gesture of thanks to the entire staff of Collier Park.
His funeral service will be 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont with burial to follow at Feagin Cemetery in Hortense, Texas. A gathering of his family and friends will be Tuesday evening July 6, 2010 from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. at Broussard’s.
