Lelah Mae West

Lelah Mae West, 86 of Kirksville passed away Wednesday, October 2, 2019, at Boone Hospital in Columbia, MO.

The daughter of Carl Gregory and Laura Jane (Findling) Otto, she was born December 26, 1932 in Stickler Hospital in Kirksville, MO. On August 14, 1955 in Kirksville Lelah married Dale West.

Lelah Mae is survived by her husband, Dale of 64 years; one son, Gregory West and wife Alicia of Houston, TX; one daughter, Marsha Hutcheson of LaPlata, MO; two grandchildren, Kelly Offineer and husband Darren of Centralia, MO and Jeremy Sayre and wife Blair of Concordia, MO; and five great grandchildren, Kalee, Madi, Taylor, Gus and Allie.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Estella Otto.

Lelah Mae was raised in Kirksville, graduated from Kirksville High School in 1950 and attended Northeast Missouri State Teacher College. She worked as a telephone operator for Southwestern Bell in Kirksville and AT&T in Kansas City. She and Dale returned to Kirksville where she worked for the Diagnostic Center as a bookkeeper, was a teller at Kirksville Saving and Loan, and then part time as a secretary for Edward Jayne Law Office.

Lelah Mae was active in her community being a member of First Baptist Church, a 68 years member of Eastern Star where she was a past Matron, Grand Officer, and Grand Representative, and a member of the El Kadir Shrine Jewels where she served as Secretary and President. She volunteered as a Scout leader, Girl Scout leader, was a Red Cross Gray Lady at local hospitals. She served as a Supervisor for Adair County Elections. She was a chair-person and board member of NEMO Senior Citizens Services. She enjoyed watching grandkids and great grandkids sporting events, spending time with family and friends, reading, sudoku, and traveling.

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Saturday with an Eastern Star service at 7:00 p.m. at Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home.

Visitation will be held from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. Sunday, October 6, 2019, with funeral service held at 2:00 p.m. at the Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Jewel Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Gus Sayre, Jim Higgins, Charles Lee Findling, Marion Ream, Jerry Findling, and Larry Sayre.

Memorials in memory of Lelah Mae are suggested to the Shriners Children’s Hospital or Jewel Cemetery.