RICHFIELD SPRINGS - William W. West, age 80, a longtime resident of Richfield Springs and more recently of Zephyrhills, Fla., passed away after a short illness on Wednesday evening, Aug. 3, 2005, in Mohawk Valley Nursing Home, Ilion. He was born on Nov. 12, 1924, in Schenevus, son of the late George and Grace VanBuren West. Bill was raised in Schenevus and graduated from Draper Central School class of 1943. For a short time he worked for the D. & H. Railroad before entering the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943. During World War II he served in the South Pacific area in Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, Ryukyus Island and Okinawa. He was honorably discharged in 1946. On Oct. 17, 1971, he was united in marriage with Harriett Broadbrook in Richfield Springs. For 40 years he worked for the New York Telephone Company, retiring in 1986. After his retirement Bill and Harriett moved to Zephyrhills, Fla. In Florida, Bill enjoyed working at various jobs, the last being a gate supervisor for the Florida Fair Association. For over 20 years he played semi-professional baseball for the Milford Macs under the leadership of Dean Windsor. Twice the New York Yankees scouted him. Bill was an avid bowler, golfer, hunter, trapper and on his 78th birthday parachuted out of an airplane. He also enjoyed playing bingo with all of his friends and riding all the fast rides at amusement parks. Bill had a strong sense of community; he was very active in political affairs and was a staunch Republican. He was elected and served on both the Richfield Springs Village Board and Richfield Town Board. He also had served as Mayor of Richfield Springs and Supervisor of the Town of Richfield. He had a strong belief in God and was a member of the Schenevus Baptist Church. He was a member of the Richfield Springs Rotary Club, the Richfield Springs Emergency Rescue Squad, the Richfield Springs Volunteer Fire Department, the Marine Corps League, Ilion, Richfield Springs American Legion Post, Zephyrhills Elks Lodge BPOE and the Telephone Pioneers. He had also played in the Schenevus Drum Corps for 10 years. In his lifetime he took great pride in the fact that he had donated a total five gallons of blood to the American Red Cross Blood Drives. He was a friend to many and will never be forgotten. Surviving him are his loving wife of 33 years, Harriett; two sons, George West of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Charles West and his companion Susan Gardner of Richfield Springs; two daughters and their husbands, Teresa and Larry Suhocki of Richfield Springs, Debra and Donald Schell of Oppenheim; a brother, Herbert and his wife Irma West of Jefferson, a daughter-in-law, Juanita Noble of Plant City, Fla.; a step-daughter, Shaleen Dungey and her husband Richard of Sherburne; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews. Bill had many friends including Edward and Judith Schell of Oppenheim. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by two brothers, George and Robert West, two sisters, Pauline Smith and Dorthea Brown and his son, Dale H. Noble, age 43, on July 10, 2004. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m. in the Church of Christ Uniting, Richfield Springs. The Rev. James Hawver will officiate. The family will be present to receive relatives and friends in J. Seaton McGrath Funeral Home, 40 W. James St., Richfield Springs, on Tuesday evening from 7-9 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to the Richfield Springs Fire Department toward the purchase of the Jaws of Life or the Richfield Springs Public Library. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. There will be a gathering following the service at the Richfield Springs Veterans Club. Bill will be laid to rest with military honors in Florida National Cemetery, Bush Nell, Fla. Members of the Richfield Springs Fire Department are asked to meet at the funeral home on Tuesday night at 7:15 p.m. for services. Members of Hugick, Purcell & Shepardson American Legion Post 616 are asked to meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday for services.