Ruth Olive (Driskill) West, 96, of Cedar Street, Niles, died at 3:11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20, 2009, at her home following an illness. She was a winter resident of Homsestead, Fla.

Funeral services will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the Rev. Janet Van Lear of First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Friends may call from 6 to 8 Tuesday at the funeral home.

She was born on Dec. 20, 1912, in Ross Township, Greene County, Oh., to James Denver Driskill and Matie Taylor Driskill. She graduated from Waldron High School in Michigan and came to Niles in 1944.

She attended Michigan State University. She worked for the American Red Cross for 40 years.

She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Niles, where she taught Sunday School. She was also a member of the Niles Service League.

She enjoyed reading mysteries, knitting, visiting people and her yorkie, Poko.

On Aug. 27, 1948, she married Samuel Gregory West. He died on Jan. 5, 2006.

She was also preceded in death by three brothers, Joe Driskill, Jim Driskill and Robert Owen, who died in childhood, and a sister, Annie Johnson.

Surviving family includes three daughters, Gay (Ralph) Trottier of Atlanta, Ga., Sara (Roobik) Azarnia of Miami, Fla., and Linda (Huck Geschke) West of Bend, Ore.; grandchildren, Karen Azarnia, Gregory Azarnia and Ashley Millard; great-grandchildren, Victoria and Sophia Millard and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made The Foundation of First Presbyterian Church, Niles.

Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, Michigan.