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WEST, William D. (Bill) January 11, 1921 November 19, 2007 Bill West, much loved husband of 61 years to Barbara, died peacefully on November 19, 2007. Bill leaves behind his devoted son and daughters, John, Elizabeth, and Kathleen and his beloved grandchildren, Niya, Kieran, and Liam. He also leaves behind a large community of family, friends and former students. Bill was born in New Westminster, B.C. in 1921. He attended the Duke of Connaught High School and briefly UBC before joining the Canadian Army in 1940. He served with the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) primarily in the Italian Campaign. His experience during the Second World War profoundly affected him and fostered his abiding love of Italy. When he returned to civilian life, he studied at the Vancouver College of Art (Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design). After graduating, he spent many years teaching art at Central Junior High School, Vancouver School of Art, and Oak Bay High School. He spent twenty years teaching theatre design, briefly at Stanford University and at the University of Victoria where he retired as professor emeritus in 1986. He was involved in the design of the Phoenix Theatre and produced the striking red and yellow cedar mural for the Chief Dan George Theatre. He was also a passionate contributor to the arts community. Intensely creative, Bill was constantly designing, drawing, and building. He was never without a pencil or pen in his pocket. Any piece of paper a napkin or an envelope was a vehicle for a discussion of an idea. When his designs were worked out and formalized, they could be realized as woodcuts or lithographs, a beautifully crafted child's toy tug boat, a rowing or sail boat, a set design, a restaurant, a colour scheme for a bridge, or a house. He loved teaching, believing strongly in students' capacity to think and to articulate their own vision and ideas. He credited them with expanding his own ability to see". In the last ten years of his life, Bill lost his sight and his prodigious visual memory enabled him to see" the world, allowing him to design mentally. He was further sustained during these years by his love of family and friends, his great curiosity and interest in the world around him, his courage, his grace, his humour and his love of music, an alternate artistic expression that replaced the visual world that had fed him for most of his life. The family would like to thank the staff at West 2 at the Royal Jubilee Hospital where Bill received respectful and considerate care in the last days of his life. Donations in Bill's memory may be made to the William D. West Alumni Bursary Fund to benefit theatre design students. University of Victoria, Development Office, Box 3060, Stn. CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 3R4 or the Audio Book Department Victoria Public Library. Memorial Service: 3:00 p.m. on December 8th at the University of Victoria Interfaith Chapel, Parking Lot #6 (off Ring Rd.), University of Victoria. 427123
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