By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



North Jefferson residents are rallying around the family of a community-minded man who died earlier this month.

Jeffrey “Scott” West died on July 16 at age 46 following complications from Type I diabetes, according to his wife, Sue Ann West.

Friends are organizing a three-day event on Labor Day weekend to raise funds for West’s family, including his two children: Seth, 16, and Alissa, 14.

“It has just been a tremendous burden on his family,” said Carl Wolf of West’s death. “We thought we’d do something that would be fun and pull the community together.”

Wolf is helping organize the Labor Day weekend fund-raiser.

The event will take place at the Kenny Clemons Soccer Complex on Fieldstown Road Sept. 6-8.

There will be a fish fry with all the trimmings on Sept. 7, 6-8 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person.

In addition, the Freedom Agency, owned by George and Cindy Weeks, is organizing a gospel singing featuring local artists. There will be old-fashioned cake walks during intermissions.

“I was real excited about it because this kind of event helps bring together residents and it helps people who suffered a family crisis,” said Cindy Weeks.

Organizers will also sell 400, 8-9-pound Boston butts for $30 each during the three-day event. People can pre-order Boston butts and schedule pickup times.

Wolf said that several people have donated time and materials for the fund-raiser.

“There are a lot of folks in Gardendale with big hearts,” he said.

West was known for having a big heart and for loving children. He had coached park ball for Gardendale teams, and had been involved with the Bragg Middle School football boosters.

“He’s always been involved with children. They were the delight of his life,” said West’s mother, Alice West. “I think one of God’s greatest gifts he had was witnessing to people going through a traumatic time because he had been through so much himself.”

West had both legs amputated because of problems from diabetes. He had also had a kidney transplant and was receiving dialysis treatments.

Alice West said that her son spent plenty of time with his wife and children. He was involved with sports with his son Seth, while he and his daughter Alissa enjoyed a love of gospel music.

“She (Alissa) would cuddle with him and listen to gospel music. They had a lot of talks during those times,” said Alice West.

Last year, Scott West was one of several motivational speakers who addressed fifth-grade students at Snow Rogers Elementary School. Sue Ann West is the school counselor at Snow Rogers and at Mt. Olive Elementary schools.

“He couldn’t go far from home, but he influenced people where he was,” said Alice West. “We are humbled he had such an impact on so many people’s lives.”

To pre-order Boston butts or tickets to the fish fry, call 647-0533 or 907-5732, or email cwolf1076@aol.com.

In addition to the Labor Day event, there is a Scott West Memorial Fund at Superior Bank in Mt. Olive, where anyone can make donations to the family.