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HAS A DEATH OCCURRED? WE ARE AVAILABLE 24/7 CALL Minneapolis (612) 200-2777 or duluth (218) 208-0377




Obituary of Christopher William West
Christopher “Westy” West
Beloved father and friend
Christopher William West, 58, passed away this January in Chaska, Minnesota. Chris is survived by his sons Tyson, Trenton, Roman, and Quenten; and his sister Suzanne; and by many, many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Patricia (Emmons) West and James West, and his cherished grandparents Nova and Cecil Emmons.
Chris was born January 6, 1966, in Park Ridge, Illinois, moving shortly thereafter to Bloomington, Minnesota, where he spent his time through high school and while attending Normandale. Chris excelled at sports throughout, with a particular fondness for baseball and basketball. His friendships with some of those teammates and coaches were the dearest of his life.
Early on he developed a love for horses, first instilled in him by his beloved Grandpa Cecil at the Beulah Downs in Ohio. Chris went on to work at Minnesota’s racetrack when it first opened, walking the horses in the early morning hours on his weekends between classes. Years later he would spend time at Canterbury with his partners and trainer watching their horses race and win. He often traveled with his friends to attend world class horse races all over the US, and even adopted one of the retired racehorses to ensure it had a good home.
Chris graduated from Carleton College, leaving with a degree in Philosophy (including an ongoing fascination with Sartre), a passion for playing lacrosse, and a new life with Lisa. He then began a successful career in mortgage lending, eventually founding and running Mortgages West for many years.
But best of all, Chris found true joy in his four boys. Sons Tyson, Trent, Roman, and Quenten accompanied him on travels across Minnesota, the US and into Mexico; they went to meet his horses; they spent summer days swimming together in the pool. When he was not coaching their teams, he was always on the sidelines no matter which city or state, always rooting for them. Countless hours were spent planning and executing elaborate Fourth of July fireworks displays and Halloween haunted hayrides to delight his sons. Fall was always a special time for him, when he’d take Rodjie and the boys apple picking or to ValleyScare. And as the boys grew into young men and times were not always rosy, Chris shared his stories and experiences with them, and in turn he respected the wisdom his kids shared with him.
Chris had a giant, kind heart and will be remembered in his best light as a truly caring and compassionate soul.
A small Celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, February 8. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA).



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