Leslie Earl West, age 94, of Centralia, Washington, passed away on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
fiLeslie took his first breath on Sept. 27, 1928 on the Lost Valley Homestead. He was born to Charles and Carrie West of Boistfort, Washington, and was a caring brother to four siblings: Delbert, Betty, LeRoy and Joyce. In adulthood, Leslie was a devoted husband and father. He married Lorraine Moore on June 17, 1948, and they had three children together: Lynn, Meliah and Roger. Later in life he married Helen Tobin (Dec. 26, 1970) and welcomed her children Becky, Tim, Mark, Ron and Tami into his family. Leslie was a lifelong woodsman by vocation. He was a timber faller for Weyerhaeuser until 1982 and a self-employed logger for many years after that.
Leslie was a member of the First Assembly of God (now Bethel Downtown) church since the 1970s. He loved Jesus and his faith in God was very strong. He was always eager to share his testimony of how God saved him and healed him. Leslie was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt, fish, go camping, dig clams, pick berries, forage cones and gather mushrooms. In later years, he enjoyed the woods and loved watching all the wildlife from his home in the country.
Leslie was preceded in death by his first wife Lorraine Moore West, his second wife Helen Tobin West, his son Lynn West, his stepson Tim Tobin, his brother Delbert West, his sister Betty Burkhalter, and his granddaughter Brigitte Ellen.
Leslie is survived by his children, his nieces and nephews, his many grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren who he has always loved so much.
The family would like to thank Leslie’s caregivers, his hospice staff, and those who visited and prayed for him. There will be a graveside service at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 28, 2023, at the Grand Mound Cemetery. There will be a reception to follow at the Ford’s Prairie Grange.
