Mr. Michael Christopher West, 42, Blairsville, passed away suddenly June 26. The son of Robert M. West and Linda Gunter West he was born in 1965 in Fulton County. Mr. West was a veteran of the U.S. Army and had lived in Blairsville since 2003, moving from Conyers. He was of the Presbyterian faith. Coach West was a teacher at Union County High School and Union County High School coach for girls basketball and head coach of boys soccer.

Surviving are wife Jeanna West; sons Christopher Andrew West, Michael Clayton West of Blairsville; father Robert M. West of West Palm Beach, Fla.; mother and step-father Linda and Wayne Angel of Decatur; sister Wendy Smith of Gainesville; brother Andrew L. West of Cumming; sister Jenny-Lind Angel of Decatur; paternal grandmother Elizabeth Hicks West of Westminster, Colo.; mother-in-law Leonila Chavez of Blairsville; many other relatives and a host of friends.

Funerals services were held at 2 p.m. June 30 in the First Baptist Church of Blairsville with the Rev. Bob Crowe and Minister Terry Stuart officiating. Music was provided by Mrs. Elizabeth Plott. Pallbearers were Dave Smith, Andrew L. West, Earl Sullivan, Chris Dyer, Rick Thomas and Kyle Thomas. Honorary escort to the family included members of the Union County High School girls basketball team, Union County boys soccer team and former Newton County girls basketball team members. Burial was in Harmony Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. Military honors were presented by North Georgia Honor Guard.

The family requests that memorial contributions may be made to a fund established at United Community Bank for the benefit of Coach West's children.