Walter "Eddie" West

Walter West, 74, of Margate, Fl passed away on Tuesday July 10, 2012 at Broward Health Coral Springs. Walter was born in the Bronx, New York on August 13, 1937 to Edward West and Jean Lamoon. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends. U.S. Army Veteran and retired North Miami Police Lieutenant Walter Edward West, 74, died July 10, 2012 at 8:06pm. Eddie was born August 13, 1937 to Jean La Moon and Walter West in Bronx, NY. He had one younger brother, Richard Clarence West. As a young boy, the stoop in front of Eddie’s brownstone apartment was his playground. Eddie and his friends would play the classic New York City street games such as Stickball and Johnny on a Pony. Every summer, they would break open a fire hydrant to cool off. Eddie, who wasn’t of Italian decent, was an honorary member of the Golden Guineas – one of the legendary gangs of New York during the 50’s. A detail he must have left off his police background questionnaire. Eddie’s father, a WWII veteran, was killed tragically in an automobile accident when he was 32, so, as his oldest son, he was forced to drop out of high school to help support his family. Eddie, at the age of 13, entered the workforce at a factory where he poured molten copper into molds. Every week he would take his wages and place them in his mothers night stand. Eddie joined the Army in 1956 and was deployed overseas in support of the allied occupational forces in Germany. Eddie, who was based in Frankfurt, was promoted to sergeant and was assigned to a railway security detachment. Eddie always sent half of his salary home to his beloved mother. While in the service he had the opportunity to travel throughout Europe. He visited France, Italy, England, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Scotland, Labrador, Newfoundland and Belgium and kept a detailed scrapbook to document his travels. He was honorably discharged in 1962. Eddie’s first wife was Catherine A. Bulon and together they had a daughter, Denise. However, Eddie and Catherine divorced after a few short years of marriage. Upon returning home from the Army he began working for a Private Detective Agency in Manhattan. He was assigned to a protection detail where he would provide security for high profile figures such as Jackie Gleason. Due to there being opportunity for little advancement, he started working in Security for UPS. It was during this time he met the woman who would become his wife for the next 42 years, Barbara Ann Onove. Barbara was originally from Newark, NJ but was residing in North Miami, FL. Eddie fell in love with Barbara and after months of flying back in forth from NY to FL, he decided to move to North Miami and married her in 1969. The following year, 1970, he was hired as a Police Officer for the North Miami Police Department where we would eventually be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. In 1975 they had their first and only child, Michael Anthony West. The family would live in Miramar and later, Cooper City, before moving to Coconut Creek when Mike went off to college. Eddie’s favorite family memories were traveling with Michael and Barbara across the United States each summer. Eddie and Barbara worked tirelessly saving money and vacation time so that the family could take a month each summer to travel together in an RV. They visited every single US state, National Park and Monument and Eddie could talk for hours about the memorable summers they spent together. Eddie was also an avid golfer who frequently won tournaments and had a remarkable 5 “holes-in-one” during his lifetime. After being forced into retirement from North Miami PD due to his age, he fulfilled his dream of living in a golf community when he and Barbara moved to Glen Eagles Golf Club in Delray Beach, FL. Eddie was a student of history with a memory like an elephant – he never forgot a date, the make or model of any of the dozens of cars he owned during his lifetime, a name or a place he visited. He loved to travel, invest in the stock market and drink Bloody Marys or German beer. Eddie was extraordinarily proud that his son followed in his footsteps and became a Police Officer. He was beaming with pride when Michael was promoted to Sergeant in 2007. Affectionately called “Steady Eddie” by his closest family, Eddie was increasingly set in his ways as he got older – but he never lost sense of humor or the love for his family. He had his wife, son and daughter-in-law by his side until his very last moments. Miraculously, in his final hours, he found the strength to pull Michael close to him and give him a big hug and gently pat him on his back, the way a father would to let his child know that everything will be okay. Shortly after, he pointed at himself and then up at heaven to let us all know he was at peace and accepting the fact that it was his time to join his parents and brother in heaven. While we very much wish we could’ve had more time with Eddie, we also find peace knowing he is no longer suffering and is free from pain.

Walter "Eddie" West

August 13, 1937 - July 10, 2012