Thomas J. West

Thomas J. West passed away January 8, 2012 in Bend, Ore. due to complications from pneumonia. He was 71 years old.

He was born in Portland, Ore. on June 7, 1940 to C.T. and Helen (Kreifels) West. His family moved from Tigard, Ore. to Skamokawa when Tom was seven years old. He attended Skamokawa Grade School and Wahkiakum High School where he graduated in 1958.

Tom served in the army from 1965 to 1967. He worked for Weyerhaeuser in Longview and in 1967, he and his family moved to Bend where he worked for Brooks-Scanlon for 11 years.

As a young man, Tom won many rodeo championships in the northwest circuit. He enjoyed horses, hunting and sport shooting. Tom was a member of the Great Basin Black Powder Sharpshooters.

In 1990 he married Diane Trachsel. They spent the next 18 years ranching sheep and cattle until his retirement. They then moved to Fort Rock, Ore.

Tom is survived by his wife, Diane at home; son Kevin (Cheri) West of Bend; daughter Tracey (Todd) Bennett of Redmond, Ore.; step-daughter Debbi Newby of Gilbert, Ariz.; step-son Matt Trachsel of Seaside, Ore.; brother Richard West of Clackamas, Ore. and sister Mary (Jeff) Baldwin of Skamokawa; seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

No service is planned at this time. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.