Carolyn Suzanne "Carol" West

Carolyn Suzanne "Carol" West, age 67, of Battle Creek and Palmetto, FL passed away at home on May 18, 2014 after a lengthy battle with fallopian tube cancer. Carolyn was born on October 23, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Raymond Woodbridge and Mary Elizabeth (Betty Smith) West. Carolyn grew up in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and Battle Creek where she graduated from Pennfield High School in 1965. She attended Kellogg Community College. Carolyn was previously married to James R. Bauman.

Carolyn retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Washington DC after 34 years of service in December 2001. During her employment with the VA she worked at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Battle Creek, VAMC in Brooklyn New York, VA Grand Rapids Outpatient Clinic (GROPC) in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the VA Central Office (VACO) in Washington DC. During her career with the VA she worked in various administrative positions including Director of Health Information Management Services at VAMC BC; Chief Administration Officer of the GROPC; and a Service Director in the Office of Finance/Business Office in VACO. In VACO she was responsible for a number of health care administration programs which established rules and regulations for health care services and medical billing.

Carolyn was a member of the American Health Information Management Association and held national accreditation as a Registered Health Information Technician. She served as a volunteer with the American Red Cross during Hurricane Katrina. She worked with beaded jewelry under the name of Carolyn's Creations.

Carolyn enjoyed reading, beading, theatre, concerts, gardening, photography, and traveling including extensive travels throughout the United States and Europe. She also traveled in Asia. She loved Broadway and attended numerous Broadway shows in New York. She enjoyed spending time and traveling with family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Betty (1978) and her father, Raymond (1994) West. Surviving are her brother, David R (Elizabeth) West of Suwanee, Georgia; her niece, Erin (Phil) Swanson (children – Avery and Henry) of Washington Grove, Maryland; her nephew, David D (Liz) West of Brooklyn, Wisconsin, and her niece, Jessica Suzanne (Jared) Corgan of St. Louis, Missouri.

The family will receive friends 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at the Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home where funeral services to celebrate her life will be held 3:00 p.m., Wednesday. The family will also receive friends 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., Friday, May 23, 2014 at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home in Edgewater, Maryland where funeral services to celebrate her life will be held at 4:00 p.m., Friday. Interment will be held at Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland. Memorial contributions may be made to the West Michigan Cancer Center or The University of Michigan Cancer Center. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.