Obituary: West, Leona (Mottaz)

Age 96

Wed., Nov. 11, 2015

WEST, Leona (Mottaz) (Age 96) Our beloved Leona Mottaz West passed away on November 7, 2015 in Chewelah, Washington.

She and her twin sister, Iona, were born on February 6, 1919 in Rudyard, Montana in the “Grand Hotel”.

Leona and Iona graduated from North Central High in 1939.

The twins were active in musicals while in high school, and after graduation, they continued to sing and dance around Spokane.

They were known as the “Harmony Twins”.

Leona met, fell in love and married Millard Eugene West on July 3, 1941, and was married for 56 years.

They dairy farmed in Chewelah, raising cattle, horses and children.

Leona was truly a farmer’s wife.

She milked cows, wrangled cattle and horses, and all the while, tending to the vegetable garden, canning the vegetables, and ensuring that we kids had a good breakfast before heading off to school.

Leona was a great cook and baker.

She baked everything from scratch, nothing out of the box.

After retiring from farming Leona and Millard wanted new adventures so they took on being resident managers of apartment complexes, one being the Fort Wright Apartment complex in Spokane, then owned by Ron and Julie Wells.

Leona and Millard enjoyed dancing, and were “Snow Birds” in Arizona.

They followed and danced to the band called “AM Express”.

Oh, how they loved to dance, and they were very smooth dancers at that.

Leona was preceded in death by her husband Millard Eugene West on August 27, 1997, her parents, and her six siblings.

Leona is survived by her four children: Dennis West (Patricia) of Chewelah, WA; Alan West (Lori) of Spokane, WA; Gary West (Gail) of Spokane, WA; and Vickie Nussbaum (Gary) of Chewelah, WA; grandchildren: Stephanie Carstensen (Wayne) of Newberg, OR, Lynette Robertson (James) of San Antonio, TX, Anthony West (Melissa)of Weston, FL, Kimberli West of Ruther Glen, VA, Jerret West (Tiffanie) of Amsterdam, Netherlands, Steven West of Seattle, WA, and Kaleena Noland (Joel) of Jacksonville, FL.

and 12 great-grandchildren.

A graveside service for family and friends will be held at the St. John Cemetery at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 16, 2015, with a fellowship reception to follow at the St. John Methodist Church in St. John, WA.

SCHANZENBACH FUNERAL HOME, Rosalia, WA.

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