ForeverMissed
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WEST – Dr. Olin L., age 83, died peacefully on October 31, 2022 in Charlottesville, Virginia, at the Hospice of the Piedmont, his wife and two sons by his side.

A true, do anything for you friend, Olin was a tower of kindness and support to all who knew him, and a warrior throughout his life, even in the last difficult years of illness and disability.

Olin began his remarkable life in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, on August 19, 1939, the eldest of five children born to Olin Leslie West and Bertha Courtney West.

Greatly admired as an athlete in his youth, he might have chosen a pro career were it not for a terrible series of patella tendon injuries. At the Haverford School in Philadelphia, where he was given the award of best all-around athlete, he’d lettered in both baseball and basketball, and was later to receive the Maxwell Club Award as the most outstanding football player in the Inter-Academic league. Olin’s strength, speed, and ability to shed blockers and to tackle made him a strong recruit for college football, and though he was offered a full scholarship at both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University Of Delaware, he chose Princeton University.

Unfortunately, after repeated starts on both the football and baseball fields, and repeated surgeries with long recoveries in hip-to-ankle casts, he was clipped from behind while defending an off tackle play and was carried off the field with torn ligaments of the left knee. His season was over.

It was a win, however, for the field of medicine. Board certified in Psychiatry and Neurology from Columbia University’s College of Physicians & Surgeons, Olin had what it took of course, but it was his natural warmth and empathy that made him the best of shrinks, always going above and beyond for his patients. Early in his career, before opening a private practice, his primary work involved team development in both hospital and community settings. Specializing in group therapies and the creation of Day Hospital Programs (he was part of the highly regarded Day Hospital in the basement of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine), he was elected Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association for his work in the 1970s developing housing options for indigent, mentally ill people in New York City.

Olin, or the big O as he was often called, was a powerful and courageous man. One incident that comes to mind took place on an extended family vacation at a dude ranch in Wyoming. The large group was being led by one of the wranglers on a pleasantly ambling trail ride when the horse carrying his younger son got spooked and tore off. Instantly Olin was galloping after them, ahead of the wrangler, just like in a western. Another dramatic rescue occurred when his beloved boxer fell into the middle of the family’s icy pond. Olin miraculously heard her calls and dragged the nearby rowboat onto the ice. Standing in the boat as in a gondola, he used an oar to repeatedly push off the ice to where his dog, too barrel-chested to pull herself out, would have drowned.

The strong do what they have to do. And Olin was never cowed by what people thought of him. One time he’d driven one of his boys to an outdoor tennis tournament, and getting out of the car had spilled an entirely full Gatorade onto his lap. Chilly outside, he’d looked for a change of clothes in the club’s ‘lost and found’ and then appeared court-side squeezed into a pair of hot pink yoga pants.

A longtime tenor banjo player who loved New Orleans Dixieland, Olin gained professional experience in the 1970s playing in two Greenwich Village jazz bars, Your Father’s Mustache and The Red Garter. He continued to play throughout most of his life, appearing in local venues with the groups the Jazz Rascals and the Shenandoah Swingers.

All manner of fishing thrilled him– on a lake, out at sea, in a crystal clear trout stream. He played a formidable game of tennis with a power serve. He loved basketball and action movies, and in another life would have liked to have been an FBI man like his brother. He loved animals, rescuing a dog while in medical school who’d been used for testing and was scheduled to be euthanized. Most of all he loved his family.

Olin is survived by his wife of 40 years, Katherine Kane, and their two sons Jonah Kane-West (Sazshy Valentine and granddaughter Sally) and Daniel Kane-West (Britni Sweet); his sister, Rosalind Harper and her children, Scott (Le and children Avery and Bryce) and Courtney McCormick (Scott and children Connor, Rosalind and Margaret); his brothers, Ronald West (Bronwyn) and Courtney West and his children, Hillary Strengholt (Phillip and children Mary West and Reid), Courtney (Cailin and children Margot, Judson and Courtney), and Leslie West Falkoff (Adam). Also surviving him is his nephew, Lee Underwood (Christine and children Kalani and Kaia), son of Olin’s beloved deceased sister Leslie.

A private celebration of Olin’s life will be held on December 10, 2022 at Waterperry Farm, his home in Free Union, Virginia. Gifts in Olin’s name may be made to The International Rescue Committee, 375 Greenbrier Drive, Suite 200, Charlottesville, VA 22901. 

August 1, 2023
August 1, 2023
So saddened by the discovery Olin had passed, he was such a presence in the early lives of both my husband Billy and myself. Olin was always a dear and cherished person, friend and memory in our life. Thinking of Olin always brings a smile to me and so many cherished memories. So many years and wonderful memories. Love you Olin, rest in peace, Peggy McMillan

December 22, 2022
December 22, 2022
Dr. West was my therapist at Four Winds when I lived there for almost 2 years from 1982 through 1984. In many ways, Dr. West taught me right from wrong and weak from strong, as in the lyrics of the 1967 song, "To Sir, With Love."
December 9, 2022
December 9, 2022
To the West family, Just so sorry to learn of Olin's passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Olin was a classmate of mine at The Haverford School we played football together and on the side ran a snowplowing busisnes together.  He also served as an usher in our wedding in Mexico.. What a great guy we certainly all will miss. Rick Ledwith
December 3, 2022
December 3, 2022
Uncle Olin was wonderful to me and to my family. He was very patient with me over the years, and once gave me a great deal of help in a crisis.

Though I knew Olin from childhood, it was only when I graduated from college and got an email account that we really started to have interesting conversations. He always showed genuine interest, but when I was young, I was too intimidated by how intellectually accomplished he and Katherine are to say much. Of course, after college I suddenly knew everything about everything and didn't think twice about lecturing Olin on climate change or politics or anything else. Olin was so polite in his responses to my emails - never calling out my arrogance and always encouraging me to consider other sources and viewpoints. I'm glad he didn't just write me off because I learned from those interactions how to disagree without being a jerk about it, and that has been an immensely helpful skill to have (though, boy did I learn it slowly!)

And I was so grateful to have Olin on my team when I had an emotional crisis and didn't know what to do. I had just arrived in northern India, traveling alone, and was having a terrible time with the medication I was taking to prevent malaria - just having every side effect listed on the box and feeling like I was going crazy. My personality felt so disconnected from who I was that I was scared I would do something illegal or dangerous. Olin managed - over email! - to talk me down and reassured me that I would improve soon and there were many ways to tackle the problem. I tried all of the suggestions immediately (stop taking the medication, lots of exercise, lots of water, talk to parents) and within a day I was feeling more myself. I've always looked at that point in my life as a near-miss, and credit Olin with keeping me safe.

I know Olin will be missed by so many people who love and respect him. He will live on in his family and in the hearts of the people he has helped over the years.

We love you always
  - Courtney and the McCormick family
November 15, 2022
November 15, 2022
Uncle Olin was always so kind to be. Always gentle with his voice and hugs. I always felt safe in his presence. Love you Uncle Olin! We were the lucky ones to have you in our loves!
November 13, 2022
November 13, 2022
Olin loved to play and watch most sports. He and Katherine built an outdoor basketball court at Waterperry Farm, where he played basketball for many years, with a group of guys 10-25 years younger than him. With bad knees and asthma, he would bull his way to the basket wheezing heavily and crashing his knee brace into opponents in the way. He and I shared season football and basketball tickets to UVA’s games for almost two decades. He was a great optimist about UVA’s chances, and even wrote to the coaches to suggest how the defensive backs could improve pass protection. One year, his back was so bad, with so much pain and spasm, that he would trudge, bent over on crutches, for the 1 1/2 miles from parking to the stadium. He was certain that this was better for his back, then what the doctors were recommending. He was soooo stubborn at times. Finally, in his later years, he gave up walking to the stadium, and would come to our house to watch the game on TV. We would often serve popcorn, which we would have to clean out of the and off of the floor and from under the couch cushions where he sat. If pressed, Olin would often talk about being a fiscal conservative and staunch republican, which got us into many complicated discussions. Again, he was sooo stubborn. Olin was a great friend and spirit, kind, caring, generous, and with a definite mind of his own. He will surely be missed.
November 10, 2022
November 10, 2022
Olin & I were classmates at Columbia Univ. College of Physicians & Surgeons, class of 1970 ( the "champagne class" --for some unknown reason !). I remember Olin as a silent, strong, steady student and friend --always ready to help others with notes, exams and never complaining of long hours.. He was truly an example of silent strength & support, and always ready with a smile and a warm greeting. I'll miss him dearly/love and condolences to his family./Tony Pepe P&S '70
November 10, 2022
November 10, 2022
Playing Consecutive Rummy with Olin was like waiting for paint to dry. He couldn't remember the rules and was frequently surprised when reminded that he couldn't make a particular move. For some reason he was unable to fan his cards, so for every turn we would wait patiently for him to do so. He took almost every card that was discarded with no apparent strategy. And...he complained about his cards the whole game. The thing that Katherine, Les and I could never understand was that Olin won more games than his share. So now when Les or I happen to be losing at a game we tell each other, "You need to complain more like Olin did". Olin will live on in our lives in many ways.
November 9, 2022
November 9, 2022
I was blessed to meet Olin in Florida when he and Katherine were looking at property. What a gentle soul he was and while our conversations were brief, we packed a lot into those discoveries. These photographic memories are so wonderful to see the depth of family time together. I can only imagine how his memory will be alive in each of you who loved him. Blessings to you all.

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Recent Tributes
August 1, 2023
August 1, 2023
So saddened by the discovery Olin had passed, he was such a presence in the early lives of both my husband Billy and myself. Olin was always a dear and cherished person, friend and memory in our life. Thinking of Olin always brings a smile to me and so many cherished memories. So many years and wonderful memories. Love you Olin, rest in peace, Peggy McMillan

December 22, 2022
December 22, 2022
Dr. West was my therapist at Four Winds when I lived there for almost 2 years from 1982 through 1984. In many ways, Dr. West taught me right from wrong and weak from strong, as in the lyrics of the 1967 song, "To Sir, With Love."
December 9, 2022
December 9, 2022
To the West family, Just so sorry to learn of Olin's passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Olin was a classmate of mine at The Haverford School we played football together and on the side ran a snowplowing busisnes together.  He also served as an usher in our wedding in Mexico.. What a great guy we certainly all will miss. Rick Ledwith
Recent stories
November 13, 2022
When Katherine and I met we became lifelong best friends— gosh, more than 50 years ago now. Then along came Olin, Katherine’s love, who immediately accepted and loved me as part of his family too. Always kind, always helpful without question

On a long ago trip to Laramie, WY when my then partner Mary needed a large painting moved to a gallery for an exhibition, Olin was right there willing and able to help move it on the windy streets of downtown. (If you’re not familiar with Laramie, the wind rivals that of Chicago!)

The four of us hiked and camped in the Rockies and, sitting around the fire with guitar and banjo serenading the wildlife (and maybe drinking too much beer?), I knew we’d share a long, though too short, life together. This and many other fond memories are blessings that will always be with me. RIP, dear Olin.

Visiting Grandmother

November 11, 2022
My mother Bert’s mother (Margaret Clark) lived in Mount Royal New Jersey.  We visited every 6 months or so, and I remember being very bored sitting around so we would be allowedgo play in the school yard next door. 

I came across a photo of Olin practicing baseball and recognized the backdrop immediately.  No doubt Dad was bored too!

Sledding with Dad

November 11, 2022
I visited Olin for a few days in February and he told me his earliest memory was of riding on top of his dad Olin while sledding.  He said the hill was fairly steep and he had to hold on tight, but it was exhilarating.

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