Obituary of Sally Ann West

Sally West, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother passed away on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at St. Joseph’s Hospital. She was 77.

Sally was born in Phoenix, AZ on February 25, 1945 to loving parents, Ray Fortenberry and Olive Hammons Fortenberry. She attended Maddison No. 2 Elementary School and Camelback High School, class of 1963. She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Arizona, married her husband David in 1965, and went on to earn her master’s degree while teaching 4th and 5th grades in the Flowing Wells School District. She taught at the elementary level while her husband completed his undergraduate education at the University of Arizona and obtained his juris doctorate law degree.

After her daughters started elementary school, Sally spent twenty years as the Director/teacher for a church-sponsored preschool. She then served as the Administrative Assistant for the South District Superintendent of the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church for sixteen years before retiring March 1, 2017.

Sally and David were involved for years in a number of Methodist-sponsored events primarily involving youth. In addition, for thirteen years she was the registrar for a United Methodist-sponsored retreat, “Strength for the Journey” (a retreat for HIV+/AIDS campers). She loved to garden (or as she often said, “play in the dirt”), read, and spend time in the mountains near Payson, Arizona.

Sally is survived by husband David, daughters Sheri Lam and Debra Reimer, their respective spouses, Trinh Lam and Jeff Reimer, and four grandchildren: Jasmine Lam, Thaddeus (“Tad”) Reimer, Tabitha Reimer and Aaron Reimer.

Memorial service scheduled for Sunday, December 4, 2022 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m. Reception to follow.