Obituary of James Douglas West

James Douglas West Funeral services for James will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, June 30, 2011, at the First Presbyterian Church in Newton. Friends may call at the Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton; 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 29. Burial will be at 3:15 p.m. Thursday, Arni Memorial Cemetery, Lancaster, MO, with a fellowship time to follow at the Lancaster Christian Church. Memorials have been designated to the James D. West Memorial Fund. James Douglas West, 58, the son of Bennet W. West Jr. and Betty L. Speer West, was born March 19, 1953 in Bloomfield, IA. He was a high school graduate, and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from Northeast Missouri State University. On August 17, 1974, James was united in marriage with Sara Annette Tallman in Lancaster, Missouri. To this union two daughters were born, Angela and Martha. Resident of the Newton, IA area since 1993, James was employed by First Newton National Bank, and was the present President of Monroe State Bank. He devoted his life to his wife, daughters and family, and was a member of the Lancaster Christian Church, Monroe Kiwanis and Monroe Community Club. He and Annette attended the First Presbyterian Church in Newton. James enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, cooking and camping. James died Saturday morning, June 25, 2011, at Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines. He was preceded in death by his grandparents. Those left to honor the memory of James' include his wife Annette; daughters and son-in-law: Angela (Adam) Carolan of Oskaloosa and Martha (Cory Bertsch) West of St. Joseph, Mich.; two grandchildren: ,Sara and Christian James Carolan; his parents: Benet and Betty West of Lancaster; a brother John (Judy) West of Lancaster; a sister Kathy (Ronnie) Miller of Oskaloosa; his nieces and nephews; and many friends.