[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 12, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         IN MEMORY OF BILL WEST

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 12, 2016

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, April 10, 2016, 
a Celebration of Life was conducted for William Otis West, Sr., at 
Holland Avenue Baptist Church of West Columbia, South Carolina, with 
services warmly conducted by Pastor Dow Welsh, Pastor Charles Wilson, 
and Dr. Bill Davidson. Musical selections were performed by Carroll 
Crawford, Bobby Bland, Bob Michalski, Emily Lipscombe, and Stacey 
Arnold.
  I was grateful to provide a remembrance along with Lexington County 
Chronicle Editor Jerry Bellune.
  A thoughtful obituary was published March 31, 2016, in the Lexington 
County Chronicle:

       West Columbia.--William O. ``Bill'' West passed away 
     peacefully on Friday, March 25, 2016, at the age of 76. He 
     was born in 1939, a son of Elizabeth and Edward West in 
     Spartanburg, S.C.
       Bill was a well-known face and voice in television and 
     radio in South Carolina but his heart was always in newspaper 
     journalism. Despite severe health problems, Bill continued to 
     serve South Carolina journalism through a long career as 
     editor of The Dispatch-News in Lexington and recently as 
     columnist and senior editor at the Lexington County 
     Chronicle.
       His passion for print led him to serve the South Carolina 
     Press Association as editor of the SCPA Bulletin. Bill was 
     honored to be named State Journalist of the Year in 2009.
       He was also honored for his coverage of the community by a 
     local activist group that calls itself the Cayce Mafia, and 
     with the Order of the Palmetto Patriot by Lt. Gov. Andre 
     Bauer and long-time political activist Mickey Lindler.
       After being named S.C. Press Association Journalist of the 
     Year, Bill's comment was, ``I wasn't called to the pulpit, 
     but to the press. And the past 50 years I have been very 
     blessed by people, my writing and my God.''
       Bill is survived by his wife Anne Foster West; four 
     children and their spouses, Suzanne Davidson and Joe, Fred 
     West and Michelle, Joe West and Elizabeth, and Billy West; 
     six grandchildren, Bryce Davidson, Alex Davidson, Connor 
     Davidson, Foster West, Grace Anne West and Joseph West, and a 
     brother, Eddie West.
       Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 10, 2016, at 
     Holland Avenue Baptist Church, 12th Street in Cayce. The Rev. 
     Dow Welsh, The Rev. Charles Wilson and Dr. Bill Davidson will 
     officiate. The family will receive friends immediately after 
     the service.
       Donations in his memory may be made to the Flower Ministry 
     at Holland Avenue Baptist Church.
  My remembrance remarks for the Holland Avenue Baptist Church service 
are presented:

       Ladies and Gentlemen,
       Family and friends of Bill and Anne West,
       I am humbled and grateful that Bill has requested I 
     participate in this celebration of life, especially in the 
     company of Jerry Bellune and his wife MacLeod Bellune, who 
     love this community and the West family.
       Holland Avenue Baptist has extraordinary members. This year 
     in January I attended the celebration of life of Johnnie 
     Neese, a lady who made a positive difference, as a founder of 
     a new political party in the 1960s, which is now the majority 
     party of our community and state. She and her husband Harry 
     were courageous.
       It is clear that Bill West, a gentleman, has made a 
     positive difference. I share his passion for print media as I 
     was editor of my high school, college and law school 
     newspapers, but unlike Bill, he was a superstar, being editor 
     of the The Dispatch-News, then on to edit the South Carolina 
     Press Association Bulletin, becoming the S.C. Press 
     Association Journalist of the Year in 2009, before 
     enthusiastically being a columnist and senior editor of the 
     Lexington County Chronicle.
       I saw firsthand of his professionalism, not as a 
     journalist, but as an elected official who he professionally 
     grilled. His thoughtful questions were very perceptive and he 
     was evenhanded, asking the same questions, in the same tone, 
     to friend or foe. He fulfilled his duty to inform the public 
     with a community newspaper. I will always cherish his 
     evenhandedness and even though he knew I admired him, his 
     inquiries were solid and not fluff. He respected the readers 
     by providing the truth for them to determine their views.
       When he called, I always dropped everything to return the 
     call because I knew he had a strict deadline. I also hoped it 
     would give me a chance to speak with Anne. They are a great 
     team raising four wonderful children and six talented 
     grandchildren who mean so much to Roxanne and myself.
       I am grateful to Bill for giving me the opportunity to be 
     here today with a dedicated wife, family and friends. I know 
     the Lord has welcomed Bill. ``Well done, Good and Faithful 
     Servant.'' God Bless the West Family.

                          ____________________