Dorothy L. West (born 25 Aug. 1916, died 12 Feb. 2003) taught at Emerson Junior High School from 1968 to 1979, where she directed choirs. She initiated a Barbershop Choir group at Emerson to encourage more boys to participate in choir. Prior to coming to Davis in 1968, she was a teacher in her home state of Indiana for 30 years. She graduated from Marion College (now Indiana Wesleyan University in 1938 with a double major in English and music, and later received a master's degree in musicology from Ball State University in Indiana.
Following her retirement in Davis, she remained active as choir director at St. James Catholic Church and accompanied for the Davis Comic Opera Company and other musical performance groups. She died in Washington state where she resided with her brother since 1999. She received the Harmony in Our Lives Award in 1990.
Source:
Duffy, Judy; 1990 Nov. 6, "West wins 'Harmony' award," Davis Enterprise, pg. A11.
2003 Mar. 5; "Obituary: Dorothy L. West," Davis Enterprise.
