Howard Miller WEST
Obituary

Miami Herald, The (FL) - July 25, 1995

Deceased Name: HOWARD WEST, EXPERT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, 77

Howard Miller West, a former military man, professor and expert in the field of special education, died Sunday of pancreatitis, his wife said. He was 77.

After West graduated from Valley Stream Central High School in Long Island, N.Y., he joined the Army Air Corps. A navigator of B-26 bombers, he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. For four years after World War II, he was stationed in West Germany and later fought in the Korean War.

He spent 26 years in aviation. During the last few years of his Air Force career, West discovered a love of teaching. He became a ROTC instructor at Auburn, where he got his bachelor's degree.
After his discharge in 1967, West became a professor at Florida Atlantic University, where he ran a program for exceptional students. He was also involved in the Florida Special Olympics.

In 1976, he married Shirley Merlin, an educator in Dade County schools who was on the advisory board at FAU. A widow with four children, she had also worked in special education. After six years at FAU, West began working in the Dade County Public Schools, where he chaired a multidisciplinary team that helped place handicapped students in schools.

"From kids to adults, he loved working with people," his wife said. "He was so good to so many people for so many years."
West retired 12 years ago from Dade County schools. In retirement, he started a monthly newsletter for more than 500 alumni of his high school.

In addition to his wife, West is survived by stepsons Bruce Fried, Randall Fried and Wayne Fried; stepdaughter Paulette Fried; stepgrandchildren Dan and Zachary Fried; two nephews and a niece.
Services are set for 3:30 p.m. today at the Riverside- Gordon Memorial Chapel, 1717 SW 37th Ave. Funeral will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to Alzheimer's Research, University of Miami School of Medicine, P.O. Box 016960, CR-1001, Miami, Fla. 33101.



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