Dennis Lynn West

Dennis Lynn West, 78, of Siloam Springs, AR, departed this life October 21, 2025 – 25 years from the anniversary of Luke’s passing. He was born May 19, 1947, in Pampa, Texas, son of Leonard “Lynn” West and Emma “Louise” West. Dennis graduated high school in Hugoton, Kansas. He attended Fort Hays Kansas State University where he received a B.A., M.S. in Education/Counseling in 1974. He and Shereen met in the university band and married in 1970. He was pre-deceased by his parents and their son, Luke. He taught Kindergarten in Chickasha, OK, Granby and Exeter, MO, and Siloam Springs, AR. He was school counselor at Northside Elementary School in Siloam Springs until retirement. Dennis was husband, dad, grandad, great-grandad, teacher, counselor, friend, uncle, and youth baseball coach and umpire and a certified water safety instructor. Primarily, he was a positive mentor to all children. Dennis and family were part of the “back to the land” movement of the early 1970’s and operated a small self-sufficiency farm in Barry County, Missouri. He learned cabinet-making and construction and built his own house addition. In 1986, the family moved to Siloam Springs where he and his sons built their own home and an accompanying shop/garage. He cherished the Ozarks and his cabin on the Illinois River. He and Shereen, often with sons or granddaughters, traveled extensively throughout the United States to music festivals, national parks and historic sites. He enjoyed boating, water-skiing, snow-skiing, hiking, and everything outdoors. He loved music, playing woodwinds in high school and university bands and later guitar and bass in several acoustic/bluegrass/Americana bands including the Ozone Players and the Sons of Otis Malone. He participated in many enjoyable music sessions at festivals and beside campfires with a wide circle of acoustic musician friends. He was a member of the choir of Grace Episcopal Church. He was beloved by his wife, Shereen, and family: Matthew and Catherine; Lillian, Matthew and Mayari; Evelyn; Taleigha and Geovanni; Rodney, Donna & family; plus a host of other family, friends and former students. Please donate in his name to a charity with a mission to better the lives of children. A celebration of life will be held on Monday, October 27, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Grace Episcopal Church in Siloam Springs, AR.

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Dennis Lynn West

May 19, 1947 - October 21, 2025