Frances Wagoner West

The following obituary is placed as a courtesy to the West family.

Frances Wagoner West, 85, died peacefully on April 10, 2025 at Penick Village in Southern Pines.

Fran was born in Salisbury N.C. on October 6, 1939, a daughter of the late Ralph Daniel Wagoner and Jane Overman Norvell Wagoner. Her beloved husband and companion of 59 years, David Philip West, predeceased her.

Fran graduated from Boyden High School in 1957 and attended Salem College in Winston-Salem. Fran and Dave were married on September 1st, 1962, and after a brief stay in Southern Pines while Dave was stationed at Fort Bragg, they soon made their home in Rockingham to be closer to Dave’s work in Anson County.

A growing family soon followed. Her next two decades were largely spent raising four children—all boys. And she loved her sons. Unabashedly. Fiercely. Completely. And as we grew older, our mom, barely five feet tall, figuratively towered over us men. We have always been, and will always remain inspired by her intellect, her interests, her passions, her creativity, her love of nature, and her insistence upon fairness and dignity for all people.

She loved children. She never failed to inspire wonder, delight and imagination in children she met. Along with Carolyn Morse she taught pre-school for 4-year-olds at First Methodist Church in Rockingham for more than 25 years. She also volunteered for the Guardian ad Litem of Richmond County for many years.

Upon Dave’s retirement they acquired timbered property with a lake that provided them both with unlimited opportunities to build, landscape, plant, and live the outdoor life. They relished in providing a family gathering spot for adventure, sport, and togetherness. Gardening, landscaping, and beholding the wonders of the seasons brought our mom great joy and satisfaction. A skilled gardener, she had an amazing eye for design and natural beauty, and she worked tirelessly on transplanting, propagating and acquiring flowers and shrubs of all kinds. No matter how difficult the work, the garden was her happy place. Daffodils were her absolute favorite. No other flower brought her as much joy and happiness.

As sorrowful as her passing is to all of us, we look at the legacy she and our dad created at Wheelbarrow Farm—especially the daffodils and Lenton Rose, the flowering dogwoods, redbuds and azaleas this time of year---and our hearts soar with the love, pride and devotion we have for our mom. We will be eternally grateful for sharing our lives with this remarkable woman.

The family thanks the many people who have lent their time and expertise assisting our parents in maintaining and improving upon their legacy at Wheelbarrow Farm.

Those left to cherish her memory include her sons Ralph Daniel West of Pinehurst, NC (Bill), David Philip West Jr of Shelburne, VT (Lee), Edward Walter West of Salisbury, MD (Katherine), and William Norvell West of Wilmington, NC (Amy). Fran’s beloved grandchildren are Margaret Catherine Flack, Harrison Barbour West, Connor James West, Hannah Pearl West, Claire Norvell West, Jonathan Palmer West and Alexander Cecil West. Fran is also survived by her sisters Jane Gamewell of Salisbury, NC, and Karen Nielsen of Huntsville, Alabama.

A memorial service will be held at Chestnut Hill Cemetery in Salisbury on June 7, 2025.

In Rockingham, the family will greet friends at the home on Wednesday, April 16th, from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm.

For those who wish to do so, memorials may be made to the Richmond County Guardian ad Litem, 105 W. Franklin Street, Rockingham, NC 28379, and to the Lutheran Services for the Aging at Trinity Oaks, 820 Klumac Road, Salisbury, NC 28144.

Summersett Funeral Home is serving the West family. Online condolences may be made at wwwsummersettfuneralhome.com

Hours Fly, Flowers Die: New Days, New Ways: Pass By! Love Stays.