Colleen West Osceola

Colleen Joy West, 80, died Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, at Clarke County Hospital in Osceola.

A memorial service was held 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Slade-O’Donnell Funeral Home, 103 N.E. Mill St., in Leon with the Rev. Terry D. Roberts officiating. Burial will be in Van Wert Cemetery at a later date. A memorial fund has been established by the family.

Colleen Joy West, daughter of Floyd Theodore and Gretchen Juanita (Fessler) McDowell, was born Feb. 27, 1935, at Grand River. Colleen graduated from Van Wert High School in 1953. She started working at Banker’s Life in Des Moines.

On May 29, 1955, Colleen married Samuel Richard West in Van Wert. They lived most of their married life together in Osceola. Over the years, Colleen worked at J.C. Penney’s, Miller Shoes and Pamida, all in Osceola.

Colleen is survived by her children, Mark (Deb) West of Iowa City and Brett (Melissa) West of Winterset; grandchildren, Susan West of Denver, Colorado, Tyler West of Solon and Jack West and Jaya West, both of Winterset; siblings, Orville (Nevalee) McDowell of Osceola, Darwin (Durine) McDowell of Van Wert and Cindy (Roger) Vandel of Arvada, Colorado; sisters-in-law, Joyce McDowell of Marshalltown and Cece McDowell of Osceola; nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Colleen was preceded in death by her parents; husband Sam in 2002 and siblings, Ray, Bob, Con, Gary and infant Vivian McDowell.