Carol Frances West

1927 - 2017

Carol Frances Hicks West, 89, of Atlanta died on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. Carol was born in Birmingham, Alabama on September 25, 1927. She was the third child of Marie Louise Hicks and Ralph Wesley Hicks. Two older siblings died in childhood leaving Carol as the oldest child in a close and loving family. Carol attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart School in her mother's hometown of New Orleans, LA. She graduated from Gulf Park College, Gulfport, MS and The University of Mississippi with a Bachelor's Degree in Home Economics. Carol met the love of her life, Eugene Conrad "Gene" West in Atlanta. Gene was studying at Georgia Tech following his return from serving in the United States Army in the Pacific during World War II. Carol and Gene married on June 9, 1951 one day after Gene graduated with his Electrical Engineering degree from his beloved Georgia Tech. Carol and Gene West lived most of their lives in Atlanta, Georgia where they raised their family. They adopted and devoted their lives to their 3 children, Peggy Ann West, David Eugene West and Marie Louse West. They also were devoted to and deeply loved by Lara Laranjeira, of Recife, Brazil who lived with Carol and Gene during a high school exchange year. During their 59 year marriage, Carol and Gene were active members of Our Lady of the Assumption, Corpus Christie, Holy Family and St. Ann's Catholic Churches in the Atlanta Archdiocese. In addition to being a wonderful wife, mother and Administrative Professional, Carol was an avid volunteer. She served the Girl Scouts of America, North Georgia Council in numerous capacities, taught First Aid and CPR classes for many years and loved tutoring reading to children in the local schools well into her 80s. Carol was preceded in death by her mother and father, her husband, Gene and her brother, Judge Ralph H. Hicks. She is survived by her daughter, Peggy Ann West and her husband, Jack E. Sinks; son, David Eugene West; daughter, Marie Louise West; grandchildren, Charlie Sinks, Aimee Sinks, Joshua West, Stephanie West, Grayson West, Emmerson West, Jennifer Marie West, and great grandson, Malcolm Eugene Sheehy Sinks. She also is survived by her devoted brother, Geoffrey S. Hicks and sister, Audrea L. Hicks. During the last five years of her life, Carol was loved and sustained by her devoted caregivers, Juliane Donnan Mayo, Ann Donnan, and Janna Mayo. A mass to celebrate Carol's life will be held on Friday, June 23 at 11:00 A.M. at The Catholic Church of St. Ann, Marietta, Georgia. Carol will be interred next to her husband Gene at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School, Attn: Camille Naghton, 222 Piedmont Avenue, NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 which provides deserving young people of any faith with a rigorous college preparatory education integrated with a relevant work study experience, to prepare its students for college and life.