Zelia G West

Zelia Geneva West (Zel), age 96, passed from this life on February 4, 2019 at Casa Bella Memory Care with family by her side. She was lovingly cared for by Casa Bella Staff and Ambercare Hospice. Zelia was born in Fletcher, Oklahoma on the family farm to Herbert and Armealey Mayer. After the family home was destroyed by a tornado, they moved to Grady County and Zelia graduated from high school in Cement, Oklahoma. The family then moved to Chickasha, Oklahoma where Zelia became a telephone operator. She met her husband, Dave S. West, at the VA Hospital and Rehab Center where he was recovering from wounds sustained fighting in the Philippines while in the Army. After his discharge, he was a civilian employee for the Airforce and they were transferred to Midwest City, Oklahoma, then to Albuquerque, New Mexico, then finally to Las Cruces, New Mexico in 1953, where he continued to work at WSMR. Zelia worked at Memorial Medical Center on Alameda St. for several years and then became a teller at First National Bank on Main Street in 1959. At her retirement from the bank, she was the North Main Branch Manager. A few years after her husband's passing, she met Charles Croslin and he became her traveling companion. They traveled the world together. Zelia was very happy that her three children lived in Las Cruces during the later years of her life. She is survived by two daughters, Dora Cothren (Howard) and Patricia Painter, son, Dave S. West, II. Grandchildren, Lee and David Cothern, Westlee Painter, Nicole Hicks, Shane, Everett, and Jennifer West, and 5 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, 5 siblings and her husband. Zelia was a member of the First Baptist Church. A memorial in her honor will be held at First Baptist Church, 106 S. Miranda on March 1, 2019 at 10:00 AM. We wish to thank Jill Shannon and staff at Casa Bella Memory for the wonderful environment of love and caring during Mothers stay there. A special thank you to Julie, Janet and the entire staff at Ambercare Hospice who treated Mother as their own. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the church. Service Information
Friday, March 1, 2019 10:00am,
First Baptist Church of Las Cruces

106 South Miranda
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005