Richard "Dick" West

1933 - 2020

Richard A. "Dick" West

July 11, 1933 - December 27, 2020

Richard A. "Dick" West, 87, of Columbus, passed away the morning of Dec. 27, 2020, at the home of one of his children after a battle with cancer.

Funeral services are at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at Highland Park Evangelical Free Church in Columbus, Nebraska, with military honors by American Legion Hartman Post #84 Honors Guard. Visitation will be from 9-10 a.m. at the church. Private interment will take place in Roselawn Cemetery.

In lieu of plants and flowers, memorials may be made to Reforged a Veteran and First Responder Knife Making Program that addresses PTSD in Veterans (reforged.org) or can be sent via PayPal at: www.paypal.com/paypalme/reforgedorg

Dick was born on July 11, 1933, in Providence, Rhode Island, to Marie Margaret (Corvese) and Harry Arthur West Sr. and grew up in Providence. Dick joined the U.S. Air Force in September 1951 and retired in September 1971. He was an airplane crew chief and was able to travel to many different countries. Dick loved his country and was proud of his military service, which included three tours in Vietnam; he was a prisoner of war. After honorable discharge from the Air Force, Dick worked in Hawaii for Hawaiian Air Lines and for private aircraft owners flying into Hawaii. He married Reba "Ellen" West on April 28, 1984, in Denver, Colorado, where he welcomed her five children into his life as his own. Ellen and Dick lived in Florida, Washington and Alabama, managing hotels prior to making their home in Columbus, Nebraska. Dick worked at Walmart, Western Inn and Suites and Sleep Inn prior to his retirement in 2018. Dick was a member of the American Legion and a past member of the Eagles. Dick loved volunteering and called bingo at the American Legion until recently.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Reba Ellen West (Penington); sons, Michael T. Rayman (Pam), Paul G. Rayman (Sandy) and George K. Rayman (Rebecca); and daughter, JoEllen E. Gibbs. A daughter, Denise M. Williamson, proceeded Dick in death. He has 15 living grandchildren and one deceased grandson. Dick has 36 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a brother, Harry A. West Jr.; and one sister, Charlotte M. West. He was proceeded in death by his parents; and one brother, Robert K. West.