Paula Elaine Haynes West

Services for Paula Elaine Haynes West will be held at 10:00 a.m. at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home, 848 Keyser Avenue, Natchitoches, Louisiana, on Wednesday, January 22, 2014, with the Rev. Richard Kaufman officiating. Interment will be at Memory Lawn Cemetery in Natchitoches following the services. Visitation for family and friends will be held at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 21, 2014. Mrs. West passed away Sunday, January 19, 2014, after a lengthy illness, with her children by her side. Paula was born June 8, 1934, in Longview, Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Lillie Haynes of Haughton, Louisiana and her husband of many years Billy L. West, Sr., of Natchitoches. Paula graduated from Haughton High-School and Northwestern State College. She was a teacher, insurance agent, real-estate agent, and home-maker for many years. She was also active in a traveling theatre troupe that entertained children throughout Louisiana, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Paula was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother and her greatest joy was her family. She was a devoted fan of the LSU Tigers. Paula is survived by her daughter, Cyndi Downs and husband, Terry, of Natchitoches and son, Billy L. West, Jr. and wife, Shelley, of Natchitoches; four grandchildren, Jennifer Martin and husband, Kevin, of College Station, Texas, Andrew Downs of Washington, D.C., William Downs and wife Meredith, of Birmingham, Alabama and Nicholas West of Natchitoches and great grandchild, Gabriella Martin of College Station, Texas, and bother-in-law Keith West, Sr. and wife Helen of Decatur, Alabama , as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Honored to serve as pallbearers are James K. Lee, Christopher Knipmeyer Lee, James A. Ford, Jr., Edward Kaufman, Richard Babb, and Keith West, Jr. Honorary pallbearers are James Bruning, John Ropp, Dan Poole, Dr. Jim Burke, and Dr. Julian Bailes.