Cleo West

West, Cleo (Melanson) of Hingham January 8, 2003. Wife of the late William J. West. Loving mother of William West of Meredith, NH, Thomas West of Hingham, Kathleen West of San Jose, CA, Mary Ustach of Hull, Elizabeth Holmgren of Squantum, Margaret Messier of Duxbury and Martha Culler of Arlington, VA. Sister of Prudence Cashin of White Bear Lake, MN and the late Ursela Gunning. Also lovingly survived by 14 grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by all her friends and family. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the funeral from the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), HINGHAM Monday at 8:15 AM. Funeral Mass in Saint Paul’s Church, Hingham at 9 AM. Visiting hours Sunday 3-7 PM. Burial in MA National Cemetery at a later date.Mrs. West was a graduate of the college of Saint Scholastica, Duluth, Minnesota. She received her Masters of Science Degree in Social Work from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She worked as a social worker for Catholic Charities in NYC before she married her husband, Captain William J. West, in July, 1945.After raising her family, Cleo earned her teaching certificate from Boston College. She worked as a special education teacher for the Commonwealth of MA for many years until she accepted a position as the coordinator with the Kennedy Foundation for the Handicapped in Kingston, MA from which she retired.Cleo resided in Hingham with her family for 50 years. She and her husband Bill celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July of 1995 before Bill’s death in 1996. She continued to reside in her home until her death Wednesday.Cleo was active in numerous civic organizations and social groups. During her retirement years, she volunteered for the American Red Cross and Hingham Public Library. She enjoyed traveling and visiting with her children and grandchildren, enjoying many winters in CA. Donations in memory of Mrs. West may be made to Scituate Etrusco Association, Inc., PO Box 265, Scituate, MA 02066.