George West

George Edison West, age 97 of Grassy Creek, NC, died Thursday, August 19, 2004 at the Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital in Elkin, NC. Mr. West was born April 3, 1907 in the Appalachian Mountains to the late Floyd and Theodosia West. He was brought up on a hillside farm in Grassy Creek, attending a one-room school until old enough to walk the distance to high school, where he enjoyed debating. He did out of school work to raise the money for his education both at high school and the University. As this was the height of the Great Depression, it took him four years of combined teaching and farm laboring to repay the remaining debt. George believed that the Lord had blessed him in many ways and far more than he deserved, he could not remember when he did not enjoy going to church and Sunday school. It was his belief that people who have a Christian experience by accepting the Lord Jesus in their heart and soul are happy people. He stood by the Bible, which he maintained proved that those who contributed to the work of the church and help the unfortunate will get along in life better as to both happiness and material gains. He married Hazel Luetta Dolinger August17, 1945 and they had one daughter Jane.

George joined Pleasant Home Baptist Church in 1942, and had been a Deacon there for many years. In 1992, the Pleasant Home Baptist Church dedicated their church directory to him. He taught numerous Sunday school and Bible school classes for 62 years, up until age 92 when he was involved in an auto accident, at that time he was teaching the adult Sunday school class at Temple Baptist Church in West Jefferson, NC. Mr. West served as Moderator of the Ashe Baptist Association for 18 years.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Sunday, August 22, 2004 at the Badger Funeral Home Chapel. Dr. Reeves Jones, Rev. Glenn Woodie and Rev. Leon Mikles will officiate. Burial will follow in the Ashelawn Memorial Gardens with Masonic Rites. The family will receive friends from 7:00 till 9:00 PM, Saturday, August 21st at Badger Funeral Home. Pallbears include: Ricky Dowell, Dennis Houck, Emmitt Lewis, Dennis Little, Dillard Weaver and Kenneth Young. Honorary Pallbears include: Arther Pasley Jr., Harold Pasley, Straley Wagg and Jack Young.

Mr. West is survived by:

Daughter: Jane West Gambill and husband Bill of Roaring River, NC

Grandson: Charles William Gambill of Roaring River, NC

Email condolences may be sent to the family through our website at www.badgerfuneralhome.com.

Badger Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.