Wendell Schofield West, age 89, passed away peacefully on April 29, 2019 at home surrounded by his loving family. Born near the start of the Great Depression on February 12, 1930 to Fred and Winifred (Schofield) West in Salt Lake City, Utah, Wendell learned early the value of both thrift and hard work. The oldest of five children, he was raised in Idaho and Utah.
A graduate of Salt Lake City’s South High School and the University of Utah (Accounting), he prized the opportunities gained by a good education. Shortly after enlisting in the Marine Corp Reserve in 1950, he was called to active duty during the Korean War from 1951-1952, but spend his service stateside, training in Explosive Ordnance Disposal. Wendell served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Brazil Mission, often using his accounting skills in the mission office–even sometimes exchanging American dollars for Brazilian cruzieros.
He moved to Los Angeles to work for the Internal Revenue Service, where he met his wife, Shirley Dixon. They were married in the Salt Lake City Temple in 1961. Wendell moved his family to Wasco, California in 1963 to partner with his father’s accounting firm.
He continued to work out of the same office until his retirement in 2017 at the age of 87. Wendell enjoyed meeting with clients and discussing their accounting needs as well as their lives. A lifelong lover of reading and telling stories, he continually educated himself on religion, health, finance, and the news of the day.
Wendell’s formative years taught him to avoid waste of any kind, and he often kept things he could reuse. Wendell and Shirley raised their seven children to value education and thrift and to always save for a rainy day. Wendell was kind, generous, and loved his family.
He had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and his family finds comfort in the knowledge that they will see him again. He is survived by his sister Suzanne (Dick) Stagg, sisters-in-law Linda Poff, and Kay West; Wife Shirley West; Children: Diane (Ed) Kanady, Michael West, David (Heather) West, Karen (Jerry) Perren, Janice West, Steven (Alison) West, and Mark West; Grandchildren: Corinne (Matt) Ashford, Carly (Brendon) Kushnerick, Eric Kanady, Jessica (Blake) Harpel, Brittney (Matt) Broadhead, Ian (Tayler) West, Tyler Halen, Megan West, Brent Perren, Nicholas (Camille) Perren, Alyssa Perren, Michaela West, Andrea West, Steen West, and Elisa West; and Great Grandchildren: Parker Ashford, Peyton Harpel, McKenna Harpel, Avery Harpel, and Finley Harpel. He was preceded in death by his parents Fred and Winifred West, brothers Joseph West and Fred West Jr., and a sister Marilyn (Russ) Tarbox.
Special thanks to Keystone Health Care & Hospice for their care and military veterans’ program which helped provide comfort, care, and honor during this time. Funeral services will be Saturday May 11, 2019 at 2pm at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 18486 Middleton Road Nampa, ID 83687. Interment will be Monday May 13, 2019 at 2pm at the Idaho State Veteran’s Cemetery, 10100 N Horseshoe Bend Rd, Boise ID, 83714.
Donations can be made in Wendell’s name to the Wasco Community Scholarship Association, PO Box 7, Wasco, CA 93280.
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