Dorothea West
Dorothea C. West, 83, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 22, 2025, at Touchmark at Harwood Groves, Fargo, N.D.
Dorothea was born on Feb. 20, 1942, near Watford City, N.D., to Carl and Gerna (Hamre) Olson of Watford City, N.D. She was raised on the family farm outside of Watford City and attended school at Cherry Creek Country School and Watford City High School. She attended and graduated from Dickinson State Teachers College and got her M.L.S. degree from Emporia State in Emporia, Kan. She then worked as a teacher for several years, eventually becoming a librarian with the Fargo Public School System. She retired from that position in 1999.
She married Roger West on Aug. 1, 1964, in Dickinson, N.D., on a summer day with a temperature of 105 degrees. They were married for 54 years and blessed with two children, Jason and Stephanie. She and Roger lived in Moorhead most of their lives until moving to Touchmark in Fargo in 2017. Roger died on Feb. 5, 2020.
Dorothea enjoyed reading, quilting, visiting with friends, playing cards and walking. She had been involved in the Fargo Public Schools Teachers Association and North Dakota Library Association.
She is survived by her children, Jason West of St. Cloud, Minn., and Stephanie West of Moorhead, Minn.; granddaughter, Jayce Peterson of West Fargo, N.D.; siblings, Caralynn (Phillip) Olson of Bismarck, N.D., Ray (Shirley) Olson of Battle Lake, Minn., and Norm Olson of Sundance, Wyo.
Dorothea was preceded in death by her husband, Roger West; her parents, Carl and Gerna Olson; parents-in-law, Doris and Virgil West; as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; along with Roger’s brothers, David, Bruce, and Larry West.
Visitation was held Wednesday, July 2, 2025, from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. at Touchmark at Harwood Groves, Fargo, N.D.
A memorial service was held Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Touchmark at Harwood Groves, Fargo, N.D.