West Revised Copy

Sunrise
JULY 14, 1956


Sunset

MARCH 12, 2018

SATURDAY MARCH 17, 2018 - 10:00 A.M.
MIDDLE BAPTIST CHURCH - WHITEHAVEN
801 WHITEHAVEN LANE - MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

REV. ELARTRICE INGRAM, JR.
PASTOR AND OFFICIANT

Reflections of Life

Lawrence H. West, son of the late Ruby West, was born July 14, 1956, in Memphis, Tennessee; he
was one of ten children. Lawrence was preceded in death by two sisters, Helen and Carol and two
brothers, Ira and Ronnie.

Lawrence was a 1976 graduate of Fairley High School. He was a dedicated employee of Middle
Baptist Church where he served diligently as Building Engineer.

On August 1, 1981, Lawrence was united in holy matrimony to Therrien West; their union was
blessed with three sons.

Lawrence accepted Christ at an early age and became a lifetime member of Middle Baptist Church.
"Wes", as he was commonly known, served as a dedicated member of the Youth Choir in his younger
years, the Sanctuary Choir, and as a member of the Voices of Thunder Male Choir.

Lawrence departed this life on Monday, March 12, 2018, at St. Francis Hospital of Bartlett. Lawrence
will forever be cherished by his loving wife of thirty-seven years, Therrien “Faye” West; three sons,
Charles Stout (Tashiona), Taurean (Andrea) and Lawrence (Michelle); two brothers, Otha (Sephia)
of Charlotte, North Carolina, and John (Alicia); three sisters, Mary West, Elizabeth Basken and
Barbara West of Los Altos, California; ten grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, family and
friends.



The Measure of a Man
Not how did he die, but how did he live?
Not what did he gain, but what did he give?
These are the things that measure the worth of a man as a man, regardless of birth.
Not what was his station, but had he a heart, and how did he play his God-given part?
Was he ever ready with a word of good cheer to bring back a smile, to banish a tear?
Not what was his church? Not what was his creed,
But had he befriended those really in need?
Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,
But how many were sorry when he passed away?
These are the things that measure the worth
Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.”

Order of Service

PROCESSIONAL

MUSICAL SELECTION ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Voices of Thunder

OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE READING ---------------------------------------- Pastor James R. Simmons
Canaan Grove Baptist Church, Mason, Tennessee

NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE READING------------------------------------------- Rev. Glynn Bridgeforth
Middle Baptist Church

PRAYER ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pastor Troy Wilkins
Greater New Salem Missionary Baptist Church

SOLO -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stevenson Clark

WORDS OF COMFORT --------------------------------------------------------------------- Rev. Lester Basken
Middle Baptist Church

REFLECTIONS
YOUTH MINISTRY ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sis. Gerri Bussell
VOICES OF THUNDER ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bro. Phil Cole
FAMILY FRIENDS -------------------------------------------------------------------------Bro. Leon Sullivan
Stan Harris
Eddie Lee Renix

TRIBUTE --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nieces

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -------------------------------------------------------------Sis. Mary Isaac Crutcher

MUSICAL SELECTION ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Voices of Thunder

EULOGY------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rev. Elartrice Ingram, Jr.

RECESSIONAL

His lord said unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servant;
thou hast been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things;

enter thou into the joy of the lord.
Matthew 25:21





YOU NEVER SAID GOODBYE Our Dad,
You never said I'm leaving, He never looked for praises,
You never said goodbye. He was never one to boast.
He just went on quietly working
You were gone before I knew it, For the ones he loved the most.
And only God knew why. His dreams were seldom spoken
His wants were very few
A million times I’ve needed you, And most of the time,
A million times I’ve cried. His worries went unspoken too.
He was there…A firm foundation
If love alone could have saved you, Through all our storms of life,
You never would have died. A sturdy hand to hold on to
In life, I loved you dearly; In times of stress and strife.
In death, I love you still. A true friend we could turn to
In my heart, you hold a place When times were good or bad
That no one could ever fill. One of our greatest blessings
It broke my heart to lose you, The man that we called our Dad.
But you didn't go alone Charles, Taurean, & Lawrence

For part of me went with you,
The day God took you home.

Love, Your Wife, Faye

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.
Revelation 21:4

IF TEARS COULD BUILD A STAIRWAY

If tears could build a stairway and memories were a lane,
We would walk right up to heaven and bring you back again.

No farewell words were spoken, no time to say goodbye,
You were gone before we knew it and only God knows why.

Our hearts still ache in sadness and secret tears still flow.
What it meant to lose you, no one can ever know.

But now we know you want us to mourn for you no more,
to remember all the happy times that life still has in store.

Since you'll never be forgotten, we pledge to you today,
A hallowed place within our hearts is where you'll always stay.

Love, Ann, Barbara & Jackie

A Prayer to the Giver of Light
Gracious God, thank you for the majesty and power that
You display in Your mighty acts of creation:
the mountains, seas, forests, sunrises, and sunsets.
Too often, we take Your magnificence for granted;
Perhaps, because our eyes remain too dim to see you;
too distracted to see the fullness of Your light.
Lord, remove the scales from our eyes that we may see
You and Your creation with renewed vision.
Thank you for reminding us
that you are God, and we are not.
As we immerse ourselves in the presence of Your power,
thank you for showing us Your light
through the life of our loved one,
Mr. Lawrence H. West



Though you have not seen him, you love him;
and even though you do not see him now,

you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible
and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end
result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8 & 9 (NIV)

Acknowledgements

We, the family of Bro. Lawrence West, would like to
express our sincerest and deepest gratitude for your
thoughtfulness and every act of kindness, caring and love.
We thank you so much for sharing in this celebration of

life. May God bestow His richest
blessings upon each of you.

Active Pallbearers

Stanley Harris
James Redden
Marvin Reed
Eddie Lee Renix
Leon Sullivan

Ron Wade

Honorary Pallbearers

Taurean West
Lawrence West

Carlos West
Charles Stout
Alfred Neely
Macharo Gibson
Kionchez Gibson
Darius Basken

Interment

New Park Cemetery
4536 Horn Lake Road
Memphis, Tennessee

Repast

Middle Baptist Church

Arrangements Entrusted to:
M. J. EDWARDS FUNERAL HOME
1165 AIRWAYS BOULEVARD dbd prints. 901-332-3601
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE 38114
901-327-9360