Kathleen Joyce Cooke West

Kathleen Joyce Cooke West went to be with the Lord March 7, 2023 after 99 wonderful years. She was the wife of Charles Dorman West. She is survived by her sister, Doris Dumbrille, her children Kathy Gandy (Chuck), Virginia Roth (Rudy), David West, nine grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held April 29, 2023 at Church of the Saviour, Wayne, PA at 11 AM.

Kathleen was born in Birmingham, UK, to George Cooke and Lillian Ellen Stevens Cooke in 1923. Shortly after her birth, her family moved to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, where she grew up with her two sisters, Barbara (Woodhall, deceased) and Doris (Dumbrille). The sisters were always close, and had many happy times along the shores of Lake Erie and at their home in Hamilton, Ontario. Kathleen was a studious and adventurous young woman, eventually even taking a biking vacation with some girlfriends around the Finger Lakes, in NY state. She became a skilled secretary, working for several different companies during the war. After World War II, Kathleen relocated to Washington, DC to work at the Embassy of India as the position required a British subject. It was during this time that she met her husband, Charles, US Navy Sonarman First Class, who served in the Pacific theater in World War II. After their marriage, they moved to Blacksburg, VA where Charles completed his education (BS in Aeronautical Engineering, MS in Applied Mechanics) on the GI Bill and Kathleen worked in the offices of Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech). After a brief time in St. Louis, MO, they moved to the Washington, DC area where they lived and raised their children. Afterwards, they moved to Virginia Beach, VA, where Charles passed away in 1989.

When on her own, her intrepid spirit continued to take her to new and interesting places. She moved to Vacaville, CA to be near her daughter, Virginia, and spent time traveling all over the globe, including destinations such as Australia, Switzerland, Japan, Israel, Austria, Germany, Alaska, Hawaii, Italy, France, Russia, Scotland and her beloved England. Traveling into her early 90s, she was a fun and entertaining traveling companion for her friends and family.

She is treasured as the beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother, who stayed very close to all her children and grandchildren, and by whom she shall be greatly missed. We will remember her as a woman of quiet faith, who loved going to church and Bible study.

Friends are welcome to make donations in Kathleen’s name to Samaritan’s Purse. They can be reached at:

Samaritan's Purse

P.O. Box 3000

Boone, NC 28607

Phone (828) 262-1980

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/