John Burton West
On March 31, 1945, John Burton West entered the world. He was the oldest child of Arleigh Burton West and Edith Eleanor (Gustad) West. The place was Boulder City, Nevada, a desert oasis that served as the construction town for Hoover Dam, where his dad was the regional director for the Bureau of Reclamation. Growing up in the desert provided many exciting experiences for a young boy. Countless hours were spent looking for snakes, lizards and tortoises. (None were harmed.) Nearby Lake Mead was the place to swim and cool off. In the 1950s, John’s family bought an outboard motorboat and they spent innumerable weekends exploring the lake’s shoreline and coves. The fun activities included camping, waterskiing and SCUBA diving. As John navigated through high school, he became increasingly interested in science. All science classes excited him, and in 1963 he entered the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB), majoring in physics. In 1967, John graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics. While at UCSB John met the love of his life, Susan Christensen, and they were married on June 28, 1969.
About the same time, the US Army “invited” John to join them. The Vietnam war was raging, but the Army chose to station him at the Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver, Colorado rather than send him overseas. There he worked in a medical research laboratory for two years. Following his honorable discharge in 1970, John and Susie returned to Santa Barbara, where he resumed his graduate education. In 1974, John was awarded a PhD degree in Physics. Following a two year postdoctoral research position in laser physics at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, CO, John then worked at Northrop Corporation’s Research and Technology Center in Hawthorne, CA on the development of high power excimer lasers. In 1981, John, Susie and three year old son Steven moved to Santa Barbara. In 1983 the family grew again when son Peter arrived.
Following his return to Santa Barbara, John worked for General Research Corporation (GRC) on special research projects related to government space systems. There were no lasers involved, but the work was fascinating.
The 1980s and 1990s were a whirlwind of school, scouts and church activities. John enjoyed many backpacking trips with his sons in the Sierras and at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. Those times in the outdoors further deepened his appreciation of the environment and this wonderful world we live in. In 2000, AT&T acquired GRC. Although the name changed, the work continued pretty much the same.
In the year 2000, Susie inherited a beach cottage in the Chautauqua community of Ocean Park, Maine. This was the beginning of a bicoastal lifestyle for the family. Every year since then, Susie and John spent part or all of their summer enjoying Ocean Park activities and traveling around the Northeast in search of lobsters, moose and lighthouses. John retired in 2015, and he then had more time for hobbies and travel. His most memorable travel experience was hiking into a Rwandan bamboo forest for a meet and greet with a family of mountain gorillas.
Over the years, John pursued many hobbies, including astronomy, photography, and music. He played saxophone in both Santa Barbara’s Prime Time Band and the Ocean Park Band. Most recently, he elevated his photography by using camera-equipped drones (pun intended). He held an FAA Remote Pilot certification for unmanned aircraft systems.
As I, John, write this on May 25, 2023, after returning from the UCLA Medical Center where I received confirmation of an ALS diagnosis, I can truly say I have been given an abundant life. I have been blessed in so many ways.
In the time following his ALS diagnosis, John approached life as always had, only differently. Each day was a gift, and truly precious. He sought the good in the world. He would like to thank the staff at the Valle Verde Health Center who helped with tasks of daily living. And he was especially thankful for Susie, his loving wife of 56 years. She put up with his many quirks and made him a better person in the process. She was of enormous help and comfort to him.
“This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
John passed away peacefully at Serenity House on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 after courageously facing ALS for over two years. He leaves behind his wife Susan West, son Steven and daughter in law Meg, son Peter and daughter in law Carrie, granddaughter Addie and brother Richard.
Memorial donations can be made in John’s memory to the ALS Network, Ocean Park Association or the Trinity Lutheran Church endowment fund.
A celebration of John’s life will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church, 909 N. La Cumbre Rd.
