ELIZABETH "BETSY" WEST

Elizabeth "Betsy" Hicks West, 81 of 644 Dove Circle, Bluefield, VA, passed away Thursday, May 16, 2024 at the University of North Carolina Hospital, Chapel Hill, NC.    Born in Coward, SC, Florence County, she was the daughter of the late John Dudley Hicks and Mary McAllister Hicks. Betsy was a medical technologist and Laboratory Director at the Clinch Valley Medical Center before her retirement.  She was an active member of First Baptist Church-Bluefield in Sunday School, Missions/WMU, teacher of children's Sunday school and girls missions and the Senior Adult Ministry (OASIS).  She loved playing the piano.  She had a "green thumb" with plants as a gardener, growing many beautiful flowers and she was a great South Carolinian cook.  She enjoyed sewing and art crafts.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother and two sisters.

Betsy is survived by her husband of 60 years: Peter J. West; two sons: Paul A. West of Princeton, WV and Mark D. West and fiancée, Trish Kelley of Bluefield, VA; grandchildren: Shane W. West of Abingdon, VA, Zachary J. West (Carman) of Bluefield, VA, Michael West of the home, Logan West and Landon West of Princeton, WV; 2 great-grandsons, a joy of her life: Hunter and Walker West; 2 nephews: Robert Poole and wife, Cheri of Atlanta, GA and Stephen Hicks and wife, Sherrie of Germantown, TN; nieces: Julie Wiman and husband, Chet of Owensboro, KY, Delores West Bolender and husband, Don of Goldsboro, NC, Marquita West of Raleigh, NC, Beverly Stokesburg and husband, Jeff of Disputanta, VA, Arlene Owens and husband of Buffalo Junction, VA and Patricia Edwards and husband, Jeff of Louisburg, NC; four sisters-in-law: Weeda Buchanan and Jo Blackley of Kittrell, NC, Charlotte West of Chester, VA and Marie West of Roxboro, NC; brother-in-law: Wade C. West of Roxboro, NC.

A celebration of Betsy's life will be held Friday, May 24, 2024 at 2:00 P.M. at First Baptist Church-Bluefield, 1325 Augusta Street, Bluefield, WV.

Interment will be on Saturday, May 25, 2024 at 2:00 P.M. at the Olive Branch Church Cemetery, 7588 Dirgie Mine Road, Roxboro, NC.  Honorary Pallbearers will be Sam Clark, Mike Hawkins, Gary Kensinger, Tom Lafone, Ron Linkous, Don Rice, Abel Solademi and Ron Townley.

There will be a time to visit and fellowship with the family in the church fellowship hall following the service.