Harvey West Obituary (1940 - 2024)

Gregg Taylor '64 posted a photo:

With Xiaobo's blessing, John and I have put together a brief history of brother Harv's life to share
with all our friends and family. He was an outstanding individual and we are very proud to call him
our brother.
Harvey Lee West, passed away peacefully on June 24,2024.
Harvey was born September 13, 1940 in Union, OR. He is survived by his wife, Xiaobo, his sons
Lance West and Lincoln West, his granddaughter Olivia, and grandsons Lance Jr. and Clark, and his
brother John Droke, and many nieces and nephews.
1954 his family moved to Olympia, Washington. Harvey played varsity football at OHS, was
president of his sophomore class and received a football inspirational recognition. In 1958 he
graduated from OHS and received a football scholarship to Washington State University. Harvey
played tight end and linebacker at WSU under Coach Roy Carlson's leadership. Harvey lettered all
three years he was eligible. Before Harvey joined the WSU Grey W, seniors received a letterman's
jacket. Harvey was able to change the senior letterman's award from a jacket to a ring. He wore his
Grey W ring the rest of his life. Harvey pledged the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and joined the ROTC
Army Cadet Program. He married Marilyn Aliverti in 1961. They had two sons, Lance born in 1963
and Lincoln born in 1964. Harvey received his Bachelor of Arts from WSU and Masters Degree in
Fine Arts through the University of Washington in 1963.
1963-1965 Harvey moved his family to Joint Base Lewis-McChord (Fort Lewis) to complete his
ROTC program. Harvey served as 2nd Lieutenant in the Armor division as a commissioned officer.
1965-1967 Harvey moved his family to the Greenlake area in Seattle where Harvey taught art at the
School of Art at the University of Washington. The summer of 1967 Harvey served as consultant for
the Carnegie Art program in Walla Walla, Washington.
1967-1968 He accepted a one year position teaching art at Penn State University and was asked to
promote the first art gallery program at Penn State.
1971 he moved his family to Pullman, Washington where he taught figure drawing and became the
Director of the new Washington State University Museum of Art.
1976 he took a leave of absence to accept the position as Director of the Newport Harbor Art
Museum in Newport Beach, California.
1978 he moved his family back to Washington state to accept the position of Director of the Henry
Art Gallery on the University of Washington campus and remained there until 1986.
In the mid-80's Harvey took his first trip to China through People to People program. In 1986 his
love of China lead him to put together an exhibit of Chinese antiquities in the form of a traveling
exhibit, The Son of Heaven.
He married Xiaobo Vao in 1989. The remainder of his life Harvey and his wife, Xiaobo, travelled
throughout China finding and saving furniture pieces to restore. He commissioned many Chinese
artisans to restore and bring back to life Chinese antiquities.
Harvey was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in Seattle in early 2016 and later diagnosed with
Lewy Body Dementia in China. He passed peacefully in Guangzhou, China. His ashes will eventually
be buried in Union, Oregon.
Dear Harvey, we will always carry your memories in our hearts. RIP.