Irene West

Irene M. (Westen) West, 97, of Washington, went home to the Lord on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, at the United Presbyterian Home in Washington.  A celebration of life will be held Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at 10:30 AM at the 1st Assembly of God Church in Washington.  The service will be available via Livestream on the Facebook Live page of Washington 1st Assembly. Burial will follow at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington.  The family will greet friends from 4:00 – 6:00 PM Monday, August 16, at the Beatty Funeral Home in Washington.  A memorial fund has been established for the 1ST Assembly of God Church and Hospice of Washington County.

Irene Mae West was born September 30, 1923, in Pleasant Plain, Iowa, the daughter of George Everett and Georgia (Ballard) Westen.  She graduated from Washington High School and attended Bible College in California.  On April 8, 1943, she was united in marriage to Joseph West, Jr. at the Christian Tabernacle in Washington.  Irene worked for Montgomery Wards, The Washington Evening Journal, as a cook at the Washington County Hospital, providing child-care in her home and baking pies for area restaurants. Irene was a member of the 1st Assembly of God, and the D.A.R and she enjoyed playing scrabble and aggravation with her family, camping, flower, gardening traveling, baby sitting and baking pies.  Irene loved spending time with her grandchildren and visiting with family members and friends.  She was always interested in how folks were doing, especially her church family and Pastors at 1st Assembly.

Survivors include her daughter Kathleen Hawkins Washington, IA, one daughter-in-law, Deborah (Rodney) Wittkamp of Burlington, IA, five grandchildren, Sam (Shelly) West of Burlington, IA, Melinda (Mike) Clark of Burlington, Dennis (Melanie) Hawkins of Washington, IA, David Hawkins and Andrea Hawkins of Washington, nine great-grandchildren, Olivia and Jack Clark, Samuel and Carter West, Landen Lee Hawkins, Kirby and Cody Clark, and Travis and Jon Graf.

Preceding Irene in death were her parents, one son, Samuel J. West on March 12, 1973, one son-in-law, Dennis L. Hawkins, Sr, on Dec. 18, 1988, two brothers: Wilbur Westen and John Westen, and one sister Florence Hubbard.