West Family Tree

Obituary

Kerens Tribune, May 23, 1996
"Visiting with Mrs. Dean West and here to attend the interment of Ovid Orr West recently were Wayn Henry West and his wife, Lois, of Indio, California, Betty Joyce McCain of Angus, Brenda and Art Renfro and daughter Cheryl, from F. Worth, Linda and tony Pavelka of Hallsberg, Vickie and Bud Mart and Kitty and Monik Ellis of Cookville. Those attending from Kerens included Mrs. West, sister-in-law of the deceased, her son, Sammy West, his wife, Rita, their daughter and son-in-law, Deana and Johnny Jackson and children, Karri and Kirby. A niece of the deceased, Marilyn Pearce, and her husband, Stuart, were here from Tomball along with their two sons. Also, a nephew, Bill Groce, and his wife, Nadia, came from Austin. Also attending were Paula Brennamon of Chevy Chase, Maryland and Charlie and Jo Whittiker of Orange County, California.

Ovid Orr West
Relatives and friends from as far away as California and Washington, D. C. gathered May 11, 1996 at Prairie Point Cemetery to inter Navarro County native, Ovid Orr West.
West, known as "Double O," was born near Kerens in the Buffalo Community in 1904.
He died in Indio, California in 1995. The interment ceremony was conducted by his son, Wayne Henry West of Indio. It was concluded with a review of his life, followed by favorite memories of the deceased offered by several of the guests.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Eunice West, brothers, Thomas O. (Bud) and Paul West and a sister, Velma.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth and son Wayne and daughter-in-law Lois, three grandchildren and several great-grandchildren."

Grandaddy, or "Double O" was Mr Meticulous, always very clean. The saying went that he could be out skinning a deer with his white shirt and not a drop of blood on him.

However, his son Wayne said that Grandaddy was a different when younger. He related that Grandaddy had once rigged a paddle up to the girl's outhouse at school, with a hinge on it so it would come up from underneath the seat. He and his friends could stand behind the bushes and once the unsuspecting young lady had sat down, they would pull the swing and the paddle would swing up, giving a rather smarting surprise.

Ovid managed a tree nursery and food processing plant in the Rio Grand Valley before becoming manager at the Presbyterian Mo-Ranch Assembly at Hunt, Texas where Ruth and Ovid lived and worked from 1949 to 1968.

I remember Grandaddy always being there when I was being babysat at my great-grandparent's house. I don't remember much but I know it was hard for him to see Ruth's mind going. He cared very much for her and as his eyesight got worse and worse those last couple of years, that also contributed to him being a little bit despondant. He used eyedrops but always had a firm hand to help with various things. He and my great-grandmother slept in different bedrooms. - Logan West