- Date Of Birth: June 4, 1927
- Date Of Death: February 20, 2016
- State: Connecticut
Barbara Jean (Blake) West passed away February 20, 2016. She was born June 4th, 1927 in Durham, CT, to Edward and Edna (Barrett) Blake. A graduate of the Ona Wilcox School of Nursing in 1948, she spent many years as an RN working on the orthopedics floor of Middlesex Hospital and in local nursing homes. Gifted with the warmest and most gentle of dispositions, she dedicated her entire life to caring for, nurturing, and celebrating everyone she came in contact with.
She is survived by her husband of 68 years, John H. West. Wonderful salt water memories of fishing, clamming and swimming surround vacations on Block Island and their retirement years living on the shores of Jamestown Island, RI. Barbara made family and friends the focus of her existence. No birthday or holiday was too small to celebrate with a get-together, complete with good food and a game of setback. She absolutely loved the Durham Agricultural Fair, and only Hurricane Gloria was able to interrupt her record of “perfect attendance” for 88 years. She adored her grandsons and never hesitated to share in their adventures.
In addition to her husband, she leaves her daughter and son-in-law, Lorrie and Bill Martin, Jr. of Durham, CT; her daughter and son-in-law, Elaine and Craig Woodard of Mountain Grove, MO; her son and daughter-in-law, John and Chris West, of Durham, CT; grandsons Daniel Woodard of Mountain Grove, MO; Nathan Woodard and his wife Laura of Englewood, CO; and Geoff Martin and his wife Kate of Middletown, CT; plus three great grandchildren, Maya, Emma and Ethan Martin. She is also survived by her brother Donald Blake and his wife Patty of Groton, CT, plus many well-loved nephews and nieces.
