Obituary: Robert Lee West
Dr. Robert Lee West passed away on Saturday, September 28, 2024 in the UNC-Lenoir County Hospital in Kinston, North Carolina.
A memorial service will be held at Hooker Memorial Christian Church, 1111 Greenville Boulevard, SE in Greenville, North Carolina, at 3:00 PM, on Saturday, October 12, 2024. Visitation with the family will be held prior to the memorial service, from 2 PM to 3 PM, in the Fellowship Hall.
Dr. West was born in Parrott Hospital in Kinston, NC, on May 29, 1934, the only child of Henry Lee West and Nannie Russell West of Dover, North Carolina. He grew up there helping his family in farming. He attended school in Dover and Kinston graduating from Grainger High School in Kinston in 1952. After graduation, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by going to the UNC School of Medicine, receiving his MD degree in 1959. He remained in Chapel Hill while doing one year of postgraduate study in Internal Medicine and four years in Pathology. During this time, he served as Chief Resident for one year.
Dr. West received certification by the American Board of Pathology in 1964. He then went immediately on active duty with the U. S. Army. Captain West was assigned to the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington, DC where he conducted studies in blood coagulation and helped establish the first Clinical Research Unit. Following completion of his military duty, he and a close friend who became a business partner, Charles F. Gilbert, M.D., came to Greenville, North Carolina with their families and established the Department of Pathology at Pitt County Memorial Hospital. He and Dr. Gilbert provided pathology services and consulted with many of the smaller hospitals in eastern NC while operating as Pitt Pathologists, Inc. With the coming of the Brody School of Medicine, Dr. West joined the faculty in 1983 and retired in 2013 as Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Upon retirement he was granted the title of Professor Emeritus. He endowed the Dr. R. Lee West Lecture in Pathology at The Brody School of Medicine and the Dr. R. Lee West, M.D. ’59 Clinical Faculty Development Award for the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In total, Dr. West practiced Pathology in Greenville and eastern North Carolina for 47 years.
In his early years, he enjoyed being on the water, fishing, camping, and boating with family and friends. He enjoyed hosting fish fries, and he could play the ukulele and the piano by ear. As a hobby, after he gave up boating, Dr. West greatly enjoyed many trips for taking photos to share with loved ones and friends while also enjoying reviewing them himself on his computer at home. He was asked on many occasions to do photography for special events in the area.
Dr. West is survived by his wife, Roberta E. West; his children, Martha E. West (Karen M. Smith) of St. Paul, Minnesota; and Stephen L. West, CPA, of Kinston, North Carolina; four grandchildren, Mike Rabon (Claire) of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, Libby Rabon (Josh Nelson) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sara Katherine Rabon of Madison, Wisconsin, and Jake Rabon (Faith Petersen) of Grand Forks, North Dakota; two great-grandchildren, Tripp and Lucy Rabon; step- daughter, Casie Creech (David) and children Jack, Benjamin, and Graham; step-son, Joshua Herring (Milena) and daughter, Harper; and by the mother of Martha and Stephen, Sara E. Moore of Kinston, North Carolina.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hooker Memorial Christian Church, 1111 Greenville Blvd., SE, Greenville, NC 27858.
Arrangements by Wilkerson Funeral Home & Crematory. Online condolences at www.wilkersonfuneralhome.com.
