WEST, Dr. Jay Herbert
Jay Herbert West, MD, age 94, passed quietly on June 1, 2024. He was born April 24, 1930, in Roanoke, VA, to J. Herbert West and Ena Christinea Hackler West. With the onset of WWII the family followed their father to Raritan Arsenal in Metuchen, NJ, where Herb enjoyed being an "army brat." The family moved to Winston Salem, NC, where he met Beverly Ann Blair at a high school dance. They married in 1952 and celebrated their 70th anniversary before Beverly's death in 2022. Herb attended Wake Forest College and graduated from Bowman Gray School of Medicine in 1955. He took his specialty training in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology at Rush Medical College in Chicago and later at the Medical College of GA. Having earlier entered the U.S. Navy Reserve, Herb served at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital and was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. In 1962, the family moved to Atlanta, where he entered private practice. Herb joined the Atlanta Yacht Club, where he raced competitively as far away as Bermuda. Herb was "all-in" to his many hobbies. He worked with wood, carving the family's Christmas ornaments and built his first patient examination tables. He earned a commercial pilot license, worked as a goldsmith and opal expert, served as President of the Roswell Historical Society, and embraced Scottish culture as an honorary member of the Braemar Royal Highland Society. Herb and Bev enjoyed sharing their interests. They opened their 1820s farmhouse for numerous historic home tours. Their grounds served as the backdrop for numerous "corn boils" which grew from one Saturday to three Saturdays per summer as the guest list kept expanding. Later they hosted Highland Games complete with custom silver medals crafted by Herb and awarded by Beverly serving as the Queen. They led many groups of friends to Scotland to enjoy the Highlands and Orkney. Foremost Herb believed in family. From his Jamestown forbearers to the youngest generation, Herb held fast that a family's success is defined by character, self-reliance, and the ability to do something meaningful. Together with Bev, they stressed and provided for graduate education for their children even at the expense of their personal needs. Herb was predeceased by his wife, Beverly Blair West; and son-in-law, William Lee Bradley; and survived by children, Thomas Blair West, MD (Laura, MD), Courtney West Bradley, and James Herbert West, MD (Patricia); grandchildren, Alexander Blair West (Emily), Kathryn West Smith, MD (Tyler, MD), Virginia West Tidwell (Craig), Kelley Bradley Mickler (Paul), Caroline Bradley Fabian (Michael), Anna Lee Bradley Cahill (Christopher), Brittany West Zelaya (Nelson), Justin Herbert West (Breana), Trevor Thomas West (Ariel); and 17 great-grandchildren. Also surviving is sister, Ena West Stackhouse; and nephew, David Hackler Stackhouse (Stavroula). Services will be held at the historic Roswell Presbyterian Church on June 18, 2024 at 1 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Bacon's Castle Memorial Association fbo Building Fund, 5312 Colonial Trail East, Surry, VA 23883.
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