Donald Gene West

Donald Gene West was born November 20, 1937 in Martinez, Contra Costa County, California, to his father, Orval West, and his mother, Marion Joy Whitely West.

His parents divorced when he was 7 and he went to live with his Dad, while his older brother, Jackie Damon West, and his younger brother, Richard Lee West, stayed with their Mother.  However, all three siblings saw both parents and each other regularly.

Don lived in numerous places when he was a child and spent a lot of time with relatives in New Mexico, including his paternal Grandmother, Sarah Ann Lobley West.  He moved permanently to the Sacramento area when his Dad purchased a service station in 1954.  Don graduated from San Juan High School in 1956.

Although she was still in her senior year of high school, Don met and married Bertha Nadine Bowman Briskin in 1957.  Nadine, as she was known by, was the daughter of William Leo Bowman and Alberta Christensen.  Nadine had a sister, Leola Jean Bowman, who was 5 years older than her.  When Nadine was 14, she and her brother, Stewart Leroy Briskin, who was 8 years younger, were legally adopted by Nathan Carl Briskin (who was known by the nickname “Curly”) and who had no children of his own.  Curly and Alberta owned B&C Plumbing and Don went to work for them and into the plumber and pipefitter apprentice program, which he completed in 1963.

Curly died suddenly in 1964 and Don took over the business in 1966, at which time the name became Westco Plumbing Contractors.  Along with their business partners, Norman and Jane Davis, the partners (including Nadine), assisted in building many Sacramento landmarks prior to their retirement in 1993.

Don was an avid outdoorsman since learning to shoot and hunt as a young boy. He went on to be a life-long hunter and fisherman. Don and Jack had a major interest in cars from an early age and both worked at various times as mechanics. They raced cars all over California for several years and stayed connected to auto racing their entire lives.

Don’s other interests were bowling, trap shooting, and attending a myriad of activities his kids (and grandkids) were involved in.

His younger brother, Richard, died in 2008, and his older brother, Jack, died just 17 days prior to Don’s death.

Nadine and Don moved into their home in Fair Oaks in 1961 and Don peacefully passed away in that same home on July 3, 2021 from Mesothelioma, a job-related cancer caused by asbestos exposure.  He was 83.

Don is survived by his wife of 64 years, Nadine, his 3 adult children, Lisa Ann West (formerly Lisa West-Beltram), Nathan Laine West (and his wife Carrie), Lance Clayton West (and his wife Trish), as well as 6 adult grandchildren, Brad and Bryan Beltram, Clayton West, and Carsen, Justin and Riley West.  He also has 4 great-grandchildren, Blake Beltram (18), Liberty Beltram (15), Sonny Beltram (14) and Lola Beltram (9).

In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated for www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org