Ret Col Alden A "Bud" West's wife "Sweetie"

Elizabeth "Betty" Sweet West, 87, of Williamsburg, passed away on December 24, 2010. She was born in Worcester, MA, and she and her husband resided in both Newport News, VA and Gloucester, VA before moving to Williamsburg.

She was a member of the Walter Reed Garden Club and the Riverside Home Dem. Club. She was also a former member of the James River Country Club. She greatly enjoyed water activities and the waterfront home she shared with her husband in Gloucester, and loved entertaining friends and family.

Betty was preceded in death by her brother, Silas Sweet, and her sister, Jane Rowland. She is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Colonel A. A. "Bud" West (USAF, Ret.); her children, Nancy Rowley and husband, Sewell, Carol Wanstall and husband, Donnie, Douglas West and wife, Chris, Pete West and wife, Dotty, and Mary Jane Vanderdys and husband, Joe; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Betty's compassionate caregivers, Debra , Amy, Nancy, Dorothy, Sonja and Ruth, who attended to her needs over the past year.

Col. Alden A "BUD" West (USAF Ret.) was WWII as a B-25 Pilot in the 321st Bomb Group, the 448th Bomb Squadron, flying Combat Missions out of Corsica against the Axis in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations. Bud" stayed in the Service and retired a Col. It has been entirely my pleasure to discover War-facts about Col. Bud as well as getting to know him and Sweetie through the last few year. In placing Historical pictures and stories from Col. Bud and hearing of his adventures, I have grown to respect him and Sweetie, to know him through friends, as he had kept in touch with others from the War. The "Art" Ashland family and his Crew Chief , the Les Rocole family (of his B-25 named "Sweetie" after his wife).

It is indeed sad that his beloved wife "Sweetie" has gone before him, I pray for Col. Bud and his extended family.

321st Bomb Group Historian Barbi Enns Connolly PRINCESSBARBIB25@msn.com_

Elizabeth S West