Carolyn Ruth West

Carolyn Ruth West, 71 years old of Decatur, Indiana, passed away on Saturday, March 9, 2013 in the Bluffton Regional Medical Center. She was born on Sunday, January 25, 1942 in Emporium, Pennsylvania the daughter of the late Lester Schleh and the late Mildred (Bierly) Schleh. She married Whitney Dale West on August 14, 1965 in Manassas, Virginia. Carolyn was the pastor's wife and an active member of the First Baptist Church in Decatur. She enjoyed reading, traveling and spending time with her grandchildren. She was a graduate of Osborne High School in Virginia and College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. She had worked for fifteen years as a medical dispute resolution nurse for Sheakley Unicomp in Cincinnati, Ohio. Surviving are her husband, Pastor Whitney West of Decatur; daughter, Deborah (Kyle) Witmer of Springville, IN; son, W. Dale (Andrea) West of Fairfield, OH; sister, Janet (Bradley) Baker of Warrenton, VA; sister, Betty (Clark) West of Sun River, MT; sister, Esther (Ned) Haugen of Winchester, VA; sister, Faith (Ralph) Lowe of Georgetown, DE; sister, Becky (Ray) Sockriter of Milton, DE; brother, James (Cindy) Schleh of Belgrade, MT; and brother, John (Colleen) Schleh of Elida, OH. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Austin (Blaine) West; Austin Moore; Hannah Witmer; Brennan Witmer; Julia Witmer; and Emma Witmer. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 15, 2013 at the First Baptist Church with Pastor Kyle Witmer officiating. The receiving of family and friends will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church prior to the Celebration of Life Service. Preferred memorials are to First Baptist Church of Decatur or Family LifeCare of Berne.