James Edwin West

James Edwin West was born on May 9, 1928, in Greenwood Junction (then Oklahoma, now Arkansas). At the time of his death, he was 97 and one-half, as he liked to say when asked his age. He wanted credit for every month he was alive. His lifelong dream was to live to be 100, and he only missed it by a few years. He passed peacefully on January 3, 2026, at the home of his daughter.

James was the only son of Dudley and Dollye West, and he had two older sisters, Sue and Ruby, and a younger sister, Dollye. James grew up during the Great Depression, and his father moved the family often to find work. His mother died when he was six years old, shortly after Dollye was born. James lived with various relatives after the death of his mother. At one point, he lived in Kentucky, and when he returned to Van Buren, Arkansas, to attend high school, the nickname “Kentucky” stuck, and he was known by that name by many of his friends for the rest of his life.

James grew up poor, but he was smart and resourceful and ever the optimist. He learned early on that making good grades and being good at sports were the keys to escaping poverty. At Van Buren High School, he was All-State in Basketball, Track Captain, the #2 distance runner in the State, President of the National Honor Society, Editor of the school newspaper and Yearbook, and Salutatorian of his class of 1946.

After graduating high school, James joined the Marines. World War II had just ended, so he spent his Marine career being an outstanding member of the El Toro Marines Basketball team. James was an adventurous young man and delighted in hitchhiking and train hopping with his Marine buddies.

After he left the Marines, James started college at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, majoring in Law. Although he intended not to marry until he finished college, the smart and beautiful Doris Stevenson changed his mind. They met on a bus in Fort Smith and started dating. She mentioned that one of her other boyfriends had proposed. So James decided that he’d better propose fast, and they were married in 1950, two years before he finished college. It was one of the best decisions of his life. They had two daughters, Carolyn and Jan, and were happily married for 56 years before her death in 2007. After Doris’s passing, James married Willa Yones, and they were happily married for 13 years until her death in 2020.

James was a wonderful husband and father and took his family on many fun trips together. James had two grandsons, Carolyn’s son, James Zen Boulden, and Jan’s son, Matthew Tyler Whitt. James was a delightful and caring grandpa who especially loved to take his grandsons to an old gym he bought outside of Rudy, AR, called, of course, Jim’s Gym, and play all kinds of games with them.

James was an outstanding athlete and scholar in college too. He was a letterman in basketball and track. He was the #2 distance runner and cross-country runner in the SWC. He was also on the Debate Team, Honor Society Member, Dean’s List, and graduated 2nd in his Law School Class of 1952.

In his professional life, James was a Law Clerk for U. S. District Judge John E. Miller, and the managing partner of Daily, West, Core, Coffman & Canfield Law Firm of Fort Smith for many years. He was generous with his time and knowledge and happily mentored the young lawyers and paralegals in the firm. In addition to being a member of many legal organizations, he was President of the Sebastian County Bar Association and was elected President of the Arkansas Bar Association in 1973. James was especially proud that he was President the year the Arkansas Bar Center in Little Rock was completed and dedicated. He wrote a poem memorializing the event.

James practiced oil and gas law for many years and joined the Landmen’s organizations too. He was a charter member of the Natural Resources Law Section when it was formed; served as its Chair and was a frequent presenter at the annual Institute in Hot Springs, AR. In 1994 he was honored by the Institute with an award for Distinguished Service.

For his many contributions to the community, James was inducted into the Van Buren High School Hall of Honor in 2001, an honor he was particularly proud of. His wife, Doris, was inducted into the Hall of Honor in 2006 for her contributions to preserving the history of Van Buren and Crawford County.

After retiring from law practice, James started another “career” in music. He had always loved 50s-type country music, so he started a band called “The Good Old Days Band”, with Harvey Carter, a wonderful singer and rhythm guitar player, and others. They played for whoever was willing to listen to them. Later, James, Carol Chandler, and best friend, Brian Vick, formed a band and entertained the residents at Legacy Heights Retirement Center where James had moved to in 2021. James played the keyboards and was a songwriter, poet, and comedy skit writer. He made many friends at Legacy and convinced a lot of them to participate in his comedy skits to the delight of the residents and staff. James had a long and wonderful life full of love for family and friends, sports, hard work, music, travel, fun, and adventures. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

James was predeceased by his parents, Dudley and Dollye Quinn West, his step-mother, Ethel West, his older sisters, Sue Ellis and Ruby Riggs, his first wife, Doris Stevenson West, his second wife, Willa Yones West, and his son-in-law, David Whitt. He is survived by his daughters, Carolyn West Boulden and Janice West Whitt, his grandson, James Zen Boulden and wife Pamela Byrd Boulden, grandson, Matthew Whitt, sister, Dollye Moore, several nieces and nephews, Willa’s family, and close friends Brian and Betty Vick.

We would like to especially thank the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who treated him as lovingly as they would a member of their own family at the end of his life.

Visitation will be at Ocker Funeral Home, 700 Jefferson Street, Van Buren, AR, on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.