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WEST, David Henry "Dave" Off he goes "into the wild blue yonder". David Henry West "Dave" passed away March 4, 2014 in Sun City. He was born July 25, 1919 on a peach farm at Catawba Island, OH to John C. and Sophia (Faupel) West. He graduated from Findlay College in 1941 and went into the US Army. Dave soared through the US Army Air Corps Bomber Flight School, flying the B-26 Marauder (known as "The Widow Maker and One a day in Tampa Bay"). Dave married his childhood sweetheart, Betty Zoe Barclay (1921-1999) in Tampa October 1, 1942. Cpt. West separated from the USAF in Indianapolis in 1950. Dave moved his family (now including David Barclay and John Charles III) to Falls Church, VA where he flew everything from gliders to multi-engine jets with the CAA/FAA. During his career he flew Senators, Congressmen, Cabinet Secretaries and foreign dignitaries. He served as Assistant to the Deputy Administrator of the FAA and retired in 1974 with 25,000+ flight hours. Dave was fortunate to meet and marry Betty (Robb) Svitak in 2003. He is survived by his beloved wife Betty and her son Terry (Judy) Witt of Torrington, CT; David (Anne) West of Tampa; John (Nancy) West of Burke, VA; grandchildren, Charles A. West of Tampa, Sarah N. Brown (Tommy) of Land O'Lakes, and Joanna M. W. Moser (Ryan) of Oakland, CA; 4 great-grandchildren. Interment at Bay Pines National Cemetery, St Petersburg. Dave has now "slipped the surly bonds of earth..and touched the face of God."
Published in the Tampa Bay Times on Mar. 9, 2014
