Obituary of Hugh Allan West
Hugh (Al) West June 27, 1947 - May 7, 2026
Al West, beloved grandfather, father and friend, passed away on May 7th, 2026 at Peace Villa Care Home.
Born on June 27th, 1947, Al’s life began on the Canadian shield. Literally. It was under the foundation of his childhood home in Red Lake, Ontario where his father (Robert) worked in the Gold Mine there.
Early in his life, his family moved to Vancouver in an attempt to get better treatment for his mother’s (Edith) cancer. Unfortunately, she died when little Al was just 7. He spent his early life in the lower mainland, getting up to all sorts of trouble with his brother (Bob) and his best friend (Wayne) before going to SFU in his twenties where he met his late wife, Noreen, in a “Communications” class. Within weeks they were living together and not too long afterwards, they were getting hitched at the courthouse.
Al had many careers. His family was closely involved with motorsports, his brother and nephew being mechanics. He worked in pit crews and as a motorcycle salesperson. He got his pilot’s license and his motorcycle license. He joined the navy for a few months, though not long enough to get a tattoo.
His love of music and communication led to working at an AM radio station, location sound on “Beachcombers” and studio production on “Morningside.” When that life was no longer conducive to his new role of “Dad”, Al went back to school to get his teaching license. Al and Noreen moved the family north, “just for 5 years.” But as so often happens in Fort St John, they found a true home there and put down roots. Al taught for 30 years in school district 60, both in Elementary and Junior High. He was some students’ favourite teacher and was a real pain in the ass for others.
He was an active father, acting as a scout leader, a baseball coach, and was the president of the local BC French Family Camp for a time. He was supportive of all of his kids’ endeavours and could be seen taking photos with his Nikon SLR at any and all functions whether they liked it or not. He had a passion for learning and encouraged his kids to pursue post-secondary education, because they would “never regret a liberal arts education.”
He was an outgoing guy and was involved with Stage North and the Library Board as well as being a part of the Peace River North Teachers' Association. He loved to laugh and was hard pressed not to crack a joke, even if it was only a groaner. He loved improv comedy and would don his red chucks to participate in Stage North’s antics whenever possible.
He was a tinkerer, a creative guy, always working on something around the house. The level of success of his pursuits ran the gamut. See: his questionable MacGyver-style home wiring attempts versus his and Noreen’s beautiful and unique wedding bands.
When Noreen got cancer, Al was there at every appointment and taking care of her every need. He retired early and moved to Summerland with her in order to make her last few years the best they could be. As a devoted husband, he was devastated when she died in 2009 after a seven-year journey with the disease.
He remained the involved father, seeing his children marry and become parents. Grandfather was a role he took on with gusto. He lived first with Nicole and then with Andrew, but when his dementia became too difficult to manage at home, he moved into Peace Villa Care Home and made new friends that enlivened his last few years.
He is survived by his children: Andrew (Ayza) and Nicole (Andy) and his sister, Valerie, sister-in-law Terry, nephews Danny (Brian) and Jamie (Joy) and niece, Evie. He will be deeply missed by his grandchildren, who brought him great joy and who affectionately called him "Grandad" and “Grandpa Al.” Al's memory will live on through his family, many of whom have already begun exhibiting the same alarming 'character quirks' that made him so unforgettable.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the BC Cancer Foundation, an organization that he held close to his heart.
His family would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the wonderful staff at the Fort St John Hospital Emergency department and to the staff at the Peace Villa Care Home for the wonderful care he was provided during his time there.
A Celebration of life will be held for Al in Fort St. John on Saturday, June 20th from 2:00 - 4: 00 pm at 9512 112 Avenue in Fort St. John.
A second Celebration of Life will be held in Summerland on Tuesday, August 4th from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at 516 N Beach Rd, Summerland, BC.
