Ronald West passed away January 14, 2026, at his residence at the age of 93. He lived through almost a century of history, but was really a man of timeless values. He believed in hard work, using your head and being dedicated to the things and people that mattered to him. Most people knew Ronald from his years of Lorillards in Louisville, but the real passion was what happened in his workshop at home. He wasn’t just a “handyman” – the man was a creator. Whether he was working with metal or building something from the ground up, he just had a knack for seeing how things worked. People used to say he could fix “anything and everything”. When he wasn’t fixing something, he was usually watching the Cincinnati Reds. He loved the game, and he loved the peace and quiet of his shop.
Ronald wasn’t a man of many words, but he didn’t need to be. He spoke through what he built and the way he lived. He taught us that if something is broken, you fix it. If you’re going to do a job, you do it right. And if the Reds are on, you clear your schedule.
Now, we can’t send Ronald off without talking about his “secret” to reaching 93. He loved to brag on his special diet, which he swore was the reason he stayed around so long. It was bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy almost every morning. After that, he pretty much lived on cookies, candy and pure sugar. He loved everything sweet – as long as it wasn’t milk chocolate.
Ronald is now reunited with his wife Mildred, his daughter Gail, his parents Charlie and Cova Drane West, his siblings Millis West, Allie West, Lee West, Hetti Smith and Alda Pile.
He leaves behind a family who’s going to miss him dearly – his stepsons Steve, Dan and Don Trout; his grandson Jeffrey Dean; his niece Rita Briner and his nephew Danny Smith.
Funeral services will be held at Trent-Dowell Funeral Home on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 12 PM with burial in the Custer Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 9:30 AM on Tuesday.
Expressions of sympathy are suggested to Alexander Chapel Methodist Church.