West Family Tree

Santa Ana Youth Dies In Plunge
YOSEMITE - A 20-year-old Santa Ana man fell to his deat habove Mirror Lake near Half Dome in Yosemite Valley, but his 13-year-old hiking partner was rescued.
The Associatd Press said the body of Kendell West was recoverd by park rangers.
On Monday morning, a ranger heard Marvin Johnson, 13, of Santa Cruz, hollering for help, and a Lemcore Naval Air Station helicopter was dispatched to evacuate him.

Uncle Kendall was apparently a strong Christian and would often talk about the wonders of heaven. He would say that the stars at night looked as though it was black construction paper with pinholes and God's glory shining through. He and my Aunt Sue's youngest brother went climbing on Half Dome on New Year's Day. My father was supposed to go with them but had stayed behind to finish up work on a set of stairs for Emerald Cove Camp.

Apparently the rope got stuck and my Uncle said "Marv, I'm going to unhook myself and try to untangle the rope. Just stay on the ledge, I don't think I'm going to make it."

All that Marv heard was a "whoosh" and then he was gone. Marv was later rescued.

It hurt my father quite a bit and he was angry at God but he thinks that this figured strongly into his own conversion and if anyone was desirous to meet God, it was Uncle Kendall. - Logan West

I do remember in grade school at Villa Park Elementary, I think I was in 5th grade, Kendall was in 4th and being bullied. I used to play Annie Oakley, ( before age 7) and I told those bullies to leave my brother alone! I guess even then I wasn't a victim!
Also we used to play "Rawhide", he was Gil Favor and I was Maggie, the daughter.
Since Chandler was always twice removed, being the eldest, and Sam was the baby, Kendall and I, being a year apart, seemed to like to play together.
I miss him, I know my Peter and he would have hit it off.

--Laine Oess