Julie Beth (Cassell) West

Julie Beth (Cassell) West, 54, passed on to her heavenly home on Oct. 30, 2023, at Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada,. She was born to Arthur Blaine Cassell and Donna Dean Cassell on Jan. 19, 1969 in El Dorado Springs Memorial Hospital.

She graduated from El Dorado Springs High School in 1987. She then attended college at Southwest Missouri State University where she received her bachelor’s degree in education in 1991. She did her student teaching in Stockton. Julie then got her master’s in education from Pittsburg State University in 1997.

Julie started her 31-year teaching career in the fall of 1991 at Nevada Middle School teaching 7th grade science. Julie also taught Practical Technology and will be remembered for her duct tape boats made during Summer School classes and the CO2 Race Cars and Rockets her students made. She was student council sponsor and started the Renaissance Reward Program at NMS. She was an awesome teacher with a special kindness and caring for her students.

Julie received the Pitsco Educator of the Game award at Pittsburg State University in 2013 and the Nevada R5 Teacher of the Year Award in 2001.  Julie retired from teaching in Nevada R5 in May of 2022.

Julie married Byron Dean West and to this union two children Connor Dean West and Jackson Blaine West were born.

Survivors include her sons, Connor Dean West and his wife, Lauren – Nevada, their son, and Julie’s grandson, Robert “Robbie” La Verne West, Jackson Blaine West and his girlfriend, Taylynn Culbertson – Nevada; father, Arthur Blaine Cassell; step-father, Craig Lester; brother, Jon Cassell and his wife, Shirin Cassell.

As she entered her heavenly home, she was greeted by her mother, Donna Dean Cassell, grandparents, Jesse and Betty Williams; great-cousin, John Hulse and wife, LaDene Hulse, and a host of other much loved family members, brothers and sisters in Christ.

Services were Saturday, Nov. 4, at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada, followed by interment in the Wagoner Cemetery in Cedar County.

Memorials are suggested to Nevada R-5 Foundation for a Julie West Memorial Scholarship c/o Ferry Funeral Home