Family and friends will gather October 29 to celebrate the life of West Niver, who died suddenly last month. They’re sharing this remembrance with his community:

With great sadness we announce the passing of West L. Niver.

Born November 8, 1958 in Albany, New York, died September 6, 2022 in Seattle.

West was first and foremost a man who wanted to help others, and couldn’t stand to not be useful somehow. An avid outdoorsman, he hiked across hundreds of miles of the Northwest and took great joy in the peacefulness of the forest.

He graduated from the University of Oregon in 1982, where he met his wife Cynthia, to whom he was married for 39 years. They lived together in Seattle, where West was a Financial Analyst at Group Health Cooperative/Kaiser Permanente for 30 years, retiring in 2019. West was also a fixture of the local Scouting community, spending many years leading young people into the wilderness, and training others to do the same. Also active in the West Seattle Kiwanis Club, he helped organize numerous community events and held several official positions in the club, including President. West Niver dedicated much of his time to serving others and touched countless lives in many ways, from events with hundreds of participants raising money and awareness for various causes, to passing conversations with people he had just met. His humor was quirky, but witty. He had a lifetime love of animals, and always enjoyed a spookily decorated house for Halloween. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife Cynthia and their two sons, Benjamin and Samuel (Amanda) Niver, his sister Geri (Larry) Niver Petkus, and his brother Drew (Debi) Niver. West also leaves behind his beloved cat Luke and grandpets Russell and Bodie. Donations can be made on his behalf to the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America or to the West Seattle Kiwanis Club.

His Celebration of Life is planned (corrected date) October 29 at Camp Schoenwald, 16030 Sylvester Rd SW, Burien. Event space opens at 2:00 PM with service beginning at 2:45 PM.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)