Darwin West

Darwin, known as Gus since his youth, was born August 15, 1960 to Ross and Marjorie (Beckett) West at Breckenridge, MN. He grew up in rural Wahpeton and attended the Wahpeton School System graduating from Wahpeton Senior High School in 1978. During high school he worked for Cenex in Wahpeton and for a summer did custom combining for the Hoefts. After his education he started his employment with Ivan Miller, later with Ivan's son, Kelly Miller. He married Nancy Fogel on July 10, 1982 in Minot, ND. The couple resided in Wahpeton where they raised their two daughters. Gus continued his farming with Kelly until his health would not allow him to continue this spring. Gus had a true love of the land which his work allowed him to stay close to for so many years.

Gus was a member of Evergreen United Methodist Church, Wahpeton. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed all types of hunting and golf. He dearly loved his "three girls" and his two special dogs, Wyatt and Max. Gus was a fun loving and outgoing person; he could tell a story better then most anyone. He had the ability to keep a group of people smiling and laughing right up to the end of his many experiences and opinions. There will be a true void in the lives of his friends, those he worked with and especially those he loved.

Gus is survived by his "girls": his wife, Nancy, Wahpeton; his two daughters: Valerie West, St. Thomas, ND; and Whitney West, Wahpeton; his father, Ross West, rural Wahpeton; his six brothers and sisters: Rodney (June) West, Mt. Vernon, WA; Joy (Arden) Hanson, Tucson, AZ; Reggie (Sherry) West, Tucson, AZ; Wade (Janna) West, Sedona, AZ; Pauline (Ordell) Akland, Yankton, SD; Jeremy (Crystal) West, Tucson, AZ; several nieces and nephews and his father and mother-in-law, Lyle and Charlotte Fogel, Minot, ND.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Marjorie and his nephew, Louis West.