Suellen West

Suellen Jordan West passed away peacefully at her home in Portland, Texas on March 4, 2024, after an 8-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. She was born in Refugio, Texas on January 21, 1942, she was the oldest of 6 children. She spent her formative years in Woodsboro, Texas. During her junior year of high school, she, and Jimmy D. West, along with their best friends George David and Betty McFarland, eloped to Mexico when she was 16 and Jimmy was 18. They officially married on December 14, 1958. Shortly after, they moved to Corpus Christi, Texas where Jim graduated from Ray High School in 1959, and Sue graduated in 1961. They welcomed a daughter in 1962, Patricia. Jim worked for Central Power and Light until 1966 when they moved to College Station so Jim could attend Texas A&M University. Shortly before graduation they welcomed a son, David Lindsey in 1968. Jim graduated with a degree in engineering in 1969, shortly thereafter they moved to Portland, Texas, where they resided until her passing. Jim went back to work at CP&L until they started in the Dairy Queen business in 1972, in a partnership with Sue’s sister, Jennifer and her husband, Bob Bowen. In the late 1970’s, you could find Sue managing the local Dairy Queen in Portland, Texas, serving food, ice cream, friendly service, and warm smiles. They continue in the DQ business with both of their kids in the business, owning Dairy Queens across South and Southeast Texas.  

Sue’s passions included sewing, singing, baking, her grandkids and following her Christian faith by helping others.

Sue loved to sew, whether it was her own clothes, starting as a teenager in high school, or her elaborate costumes she wore while singing with Sweet Adeline’s.

Sue loved to sing. She was a member of the Sparkling City Chorus of the Sweet Adeline’s (a barbershop harmony organization of women singers) for approximately 20 years. Sue served as President of the organization on more than one occasion. She also sang in a barbershop quartet as part of Sweet Adeline’s. In addition, Sue sang at countless funerals and weddings, part of the praise team at church, at nursing homes, and any other chance she had. Any time the family was together the hymn books would come out.

She was also famous for her desserts- anyone who has attended a “dinner on the grounds” (potluck at the church) has certainly enjoyed her three-layer Italian cream cake or her delicious banana pudding. Sue loved having her grandchildren over to spend time with them in the kitchen, all wearing aprons, or enjoying a game of dominos.

As part of her Christian ministry, Sue truly loved helping people. Sue was a unique kind of philanthropist. She just did not just on a grand or detached level, she volunteered at the most basic level as well, stocking the shelves at her church’s food pantry, helping to “get out the vote” for the Republican party, mentoring her Sunday school students, and driving a blind man to dialysis appointments. She spent over three decades providing direct drug and alcohol counseling in her community. She was awarded the Lucy Hill PDAP Freedom Award in 2012, and the Texas DQ Humanitarian Award in 2007. She had a special place in her heart for Hannah, a young lady with autism, working as a weekly volunteer and eventually helping co-found a school to serve the autistic community. Sue helped many kids attend college, paying for their tuition and made many “loans” to many people who fell on hard times. She and Jim partnered in many construction projects, building houses and remodeling homes for those who needed a little extra help. Their house was a gathering place for all. They hosted numerous weddings, baptisms, baby showers, and church events. They fostered and mentored many kids throughout the years, providing a home for three years to two Albanian college students, Bruna and Anisa,  who came to this country and became unexpectedly homeless. If anyone ever needed help, they could count on Sue West. It was recently said that Sue was a best friend to everyone.

Sue loved the Lord and especially all types of mission work. She loved spreading the gospel around the world starting close to home with a prison ministry and another in The Bronx. She also supported mission work in Africa, the Philippines, and South America, just to name a few.  

To put it simply, Sue said “Yes” when asked to help. She will be sorely missed.

Sue was greeted in heaven by her dad, Z.T. Jordan, her mom, Lucille Carpenter, her sisters, Margaret, and Gladys Kay, her in-laws, David Eugene and Mabel West, and many beloved friends. She is survived by her loving husband of 65 years, Jimmy, her daughter Patricia Keene (Stuart), son David West (Katie), siblings Jesslyn Bordine, Jennifer Bowen and Roy Frank Jordan, and her grandchildren, Madeleine West, Jordan West, Alexis Tozer Puhrmann (Jonathen) , A. Michael Tozer and Antoinette Tozer, and step grandchildren Mary Keene and Andrew Keene.

Services for Suellen will be held on Saturday, March 9 at 11:00am at North Bay Church of Christ (1501 Denver Street, Portland, Texas) with graveside service to follow at 1:00pm at La Rosa Cemetery (207 Churchill Road, Woodsboro, Texas). In lieu of flowers, please send donations to South Texas Children’s Home, Pettus, Texas.

Pallbearers: Roy Frank Jordan, Charles West, Scotty Kidd, Aaron Patty, Jonathen Puhrmann, and Brian Williams. Honorary Pallbearers: Jim Downen, Bob Spaulding, Charles Petty, Junior Quiorga