Linda West

Linda Margaret West peacefully passed away from breast cancer on May 3rd, 2023, at home in Boulder, CO. She was 74. Born to parents Thomas Lynn O'Bryan and Grace Pearl Weaver on June 24th, 1948, in Decatur, IL, Linda grew up in Illinois. She graduated from Rich East H.S. (Park Forest, IL) in 1966, then earned a BSN from Purdue University (Calumet Campus, IN). Early in her nursing career, Linda worked at various Chicagoland hospitals, including the University of Chicago Hospital. In 1978, she met Thomas David West; the two married in Crete, IL on June 15th, 1984. Tom accepted an engineering position at StorageTek, so the newlyweds settled in Boulder to follow their career paths and raise a family. Linda worked as a Registered Nurse for 50 years, her first Colorado job being at the old Mapleton Hospital in Boulder. She also worked as a Director of Nursing at West Pines Hospital, an Emergency Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist for Health One Hospital emergency rooms throughout Denver, and with Wound Care at Parkview Care Center. She meanwhile continued her education, securing both an MSN and a PhD from the University of Colorado College of Nursing (Anschutz Campus) and worked as an associated Clinical Instructor for BSN students at several Denver hospitals during their psych rotations. Other than her passion for nursing, Linda enjoyed writing poetry and personal anecdotes about her experiences. She was also fascinated with home remodeling and would tour open houses to appreciate their architecture. Linda took great interest in the various pursuits of her five grandchildren, everything from piano recitals to swim lessons. Her family describes Linda as "a dedicated, caring nurse, a writer of poems, an educator, a dancer, tough and giving, a wife and mother with strength, beauty, grace and love." Linda was preceded in death by her son Zachary Hibbard (4/17/2002) and her brother Patrick O'Bryan (12/11/2018). She is survived by her husband, Thomas West (of Boulder), her sister, Annette Rose (of Linden, NC), her brother Mark O'Bryan (of California), her daughter, Sarah Alber, (of Louisville, CO), her son Matthew Hibbard (of Superior, CO), and her five grandchildren: Lauralyn, Abigail and Mayzie Alber; Linzee and Aidan Hibbard. A funeral service, officiated by Father Jonathan Dellinger, will take place at Sacred Heart of Mary Church (6739 South Boulder Road, Boulder, CO 80303) on Wednesday, May 17th at 11:00AM. A burial ceremony will follow the service; Linda will be laid to rest beside her son Zachary. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to a CU Foundation Fund (giving.cu.edu) related to Breast Cancer or Nursing Students. The West family thanks you for all your kind words and heartfelt remembrances.