My mother passed this morning. my brothers, Dean and Mark, and I, will miss her forever.

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Della Jean West Obituary

Della Jean West, of Pacific, passed away peacefully on Monday morning, October 11, 2021, at Pacific Care Center in Pacific, Missouri. Her last breath was taken with her son, Dean, holding her hand.

Della was very well known and respected around the town of Pacific as she was a fixture in many of the schools there throughout the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's where she was a long time Custodial Engineer in the Meramec Valley school district.

Della was born the daughter Virvin Perry and Alice Lucille Johnston on 18 July 1937 in Webster Groves, Missouri. She was the third eldest daughter and eventually one of ten siblings. In 1962 she met and married Ronald Lee West and this union brought three sons into the world. Her family became and was always her greatest priority.

Della was preceded in death by her mother and father, and her sisters, Alice Lorraine Whitworth, Kathleen Ann Perez, Vivian Lucille Broyles, Betty Laverne Branscum, and Hazel Maureen Day, her brothers, Virvin Lee and Donald Keith Johnston. Another brother, James Wesley, disassociated from the family more than 30 years ago. He has not been heard from since. She is survived by her sister, Linda Sue Boyer of Washington, Missouri.

Della is also survived by her sons and their wives, Ronald Lee Jr (Debbie) of Falcon, Colorado, Dean Allen (Teresa) of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Mark Anthony (April) of Pacific, Missouri, grandchildren Adam James West and Jacob Ryan West and one great granddaughter, Annabelle Jane. Also surviving her are many nieces and nephews and a few granddogs.

Della spent the last decade or so of her life in the Pacific Care Center. The family is grateful for the care she received while living there.

Obituary written by me, her son, Ron, and it was my honor to do so.

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My mother was a strong women, a hard working woman, and even though money was something that there was never enough of she always found a way to make it. Whether it was though the help of family and friends or through her hard work and working extra hours, I never wanted for anything. I never even knew that we were as poor as we apparently were. When I wanted to join band in middle school and needed a trumpet, I got it. When I wanted a class ring that even I knew we couldn't afford, I got it. When I wanted to go on the senior trip in high school, I went. When I wanted to leave home and join the Navy, knowing how hard it was going to be for her to sign those papers, she did. I don't know what she had to give up to provide those things for me then but, thank you mom for doing so. You will never know now how much I appreciate your sacrifices. Those sacrifices made me who I am today and I think even you'd agree that, I didn't turn out too bad.

You did good Mom, you really did. I love you and will always miss you. I will see you again somehow, somewhere, someday.