Obituary: Annette Louise Tixier West
Mrs. Annette Louise Tixier West, 78, of Winston-Salem, formerly of Kinston, NC passed away unexpectedly on March 6, 2023, at Forsyth Medical Center.
Mrs. West was born on October 29, 1944, in Casper, WY to Maurice P. and Allene K. Tixier. She grew up in Houston, TX where she graduated from Mirabeau B. Lamar High School. She attended Mary Baldwin College for two years, during which time she met her future husband, George Harper West. They were married in July 1965 in Houston. She graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a BA in math and worked as a Computer Systems Analyst and Programmer for Western Electric in NC and Pan American World Airways in FL, where she was a member of the team for the manned lunar landing mission of Apollo 11.
After the couple moved to Kinston, Mrs. West devoted much of her time, talents, and energy to making her community a better place to live. She served in various volunteer roles and elected positions including as a Lenoir County Commissioner, an office she held for 13 years, as well as Chamber of Commerce, Kinston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Lenoir Greene Medical Auxiliary, and Lenoir Memorial Hospital Foundation. She was an active member of Gordon Street Christian Church, where she served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher. Her leadership and years of service culminated in her being named Citizen of the Year and receiving other distinguished awards.
Mrs. West had a keen eye for detail that, combined with vision and creativity, made her quite skilled at decorative arts and crafts. When her children were young, she painted many beautiful ceramic objects for their home that have become cherished family treasures. She was a remarkable seamstress throughout her life. She sewed beautiful clothes for herself and her small children. As her children made homes of their own, she created window treatments, pillows, and other decorative items designed to their individual styles. In her later years, she enjoyed making personalized, embroidered gifts for her grandchildren and friends.
Mrs. West was known for her commitment and dedication, strength and smarts, and loyalty to friends and family as well as her friendly nature, warm smile, and infectious laugh. She took a genuine interest in others and was always looking for ways to help and show her love.
She is survived by her daughters, Deborah (Alex) Panagacos of Huntington, NY and Emily (Adam) Gower of Chapel Hill, NC; her son, Jeffrey (Julie) West of Woodinville, WA; 5 grandchildren; as well as loving in-laws, nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, George Harper West, MD, and sister, Linda Suzanne Tixier, PhD.
A celebration of life memorial service will be held on April 15, 2023, at 2:00 pm at Gordon Street Christian Church in Kinston (118 East Gordon Street) with the Rev. Doug Stokes officiating. The family will receive friends at a reception immediately following the service in the Fellowship Hall.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Forsyth Humane Society (https://forsythhumane.org/donate-now), Gordon Street Christian Church in Kinston, NC (https://www.gordonstreetchurch.org) or Lenoir County SPCA (https://www.lenoircountyspca.org/donate).
Arrangements made by Edwards Funeral Home & Cremations. Online condolences may be expressed at www.edwardsfhc.com.
