Obituary

Iva Jean Shrum West (I.J.) was born in the Rio Grande Valley in Elsa, Texas, on November 20, 1934. She passed on December 16, 2020 in Plainview at the age of 86. A funeral service will be held on Monday, December 21, 2020 at 1 P.M. at Kornerstone Funeral Directors Chapel in Plainview, Texas. Burial will follow at Plainview Memorial Park. Services are under the care of Kornerstone Funeral Directors in Plainview.

Her parents were Thomas John (T.J.) Shrum and Belle Hobbs. She attended the first year of school in Edcouch, Texas. After her father’s death, the family moved to Plainview. I.J. graduated from Plainview High School, then attended Texas Tech. She worked at the American State Bank in Lubbock. She later attended McNesse State in Lake Charles, La, and Wayland University. in Plainview.

I.J. married Jess Wayne West on June 15, 1957 in Plainview. They had twin sons, Marc Hunter and Mason Drew who were born at the Chennault Air Force Base in Lake Charles while Jess served in the U.S. Air Force. Jess received his commission in ROTC at Texas Tech.

After Jess’s service, he attended the University of Texas in Austin for a degree in the school of Pharmacy. The family moved to Plainview where they opened West Edgemere Pharmacy. The store was sold in 1975, where they returned to the downtown store, West Pharmacy. The family store closed in 1990 after 53 years in business.

I.J. was active in the genealogy of her family, having come from pioneers who had obtained land grants and settled in north Hale County. She was a member of Plainview’s Woman Club charter member and served as treasurer for “Hale County Facts and Fiction”. She had written several family histories for the book. I.J. was treasure for the Texas State auxiallry to the Texas Pharmaceutical Association, a member of Mary McCoy Baines Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a member-at-large of the National D.A.R. She was a member of bridge clubs, a birthday card club and associate of the Elks Lodge, and “The Go Go Girls,” and a member of the Sally Society.

I.J. served as President and became a Sustaining Life Member of the Plainview Junior Service League, also a life member of the Order of the Rainbow for Girls. She served on many civic boards, the United Way, the Plainview Hale County Health Board, and was co-chairman for the fund raising of the Llano Estacado Museum. I.J. was appointed to the neighborhood improvement committee by the City Council.

I.J. was selected as Plainview’s Woman of the Year in 1974. She enjoyed bridge, games, the computer, and dancing to country and western music. She loved to read a good mystery book, going to the opera, and traveling the world. She was interested in history, having traveled to all the presidential museums and libraries, toured the campuses of many universities and colleges. Her hobby was getting time stamps for the passport book on state and national parks she visited. The highlight of all the travels was being with the penguins in Antarctica.

I.J. is survived by her sons, Marc Hunter West and Mason Drew West both of Lubbock; sister, Francine Andrew of Olton; two nieces, Alexia Andrew of Olton and Jerrie Sisson of Illinois; three nephews, Ernest Dyer and wife LaDonne of Illinois, Steve Andrew and wife Judy of Amarillo and Alan Andrew of Lubbock.

I.J. is preceded in death by her husband Jess W. West, her mother Belle Clark and step-father Edward Clark, her father T.J. Shrum; in-laws Jesse M and Alice West; sister Pansy Taylor.

To my Sons: “You have been the best sons to me, your personalities, love and patience. You guys have been the joy of my life and I have been so blessed to have you in my life. My words will never relate all the deep feelings I have felt in my life.”