Billie Westlake

Jerome, ID- Billie Bert Westlake 83,of Jerome, ID passed away Monday, April 17,2017, in Twin Falls, ID surrounded by his family. Bill was born in Laclede, Missouri February 15,1934 to Bert and Stella Westlake. Bill was the second child of two. In 1936 the family moved to Ontario, CA.

Bill joined the U.S. Air Force in 1952, retiring in 1972 after serving 20 years. He did a tour of Germany in 1955 and was then stationed in England where he met the love of his life, Yvonne Godfrey, outside of the pub, Elmhill, after he and his buddy stole mum and her girlfriends' bicycles. Bill refused to give back mum's bike until she agreed to meet him at the dance hall the following Saturday. From that Saturday night on, until 62 years later, they were always together. Bill did a tour in Vietnam at the DaNang Air Base from 1965-66 and was very proud that he served his country. He always took the time to shake his fellow vets' hand and thank them for serving as well.

Bill and Yvonne Westlake were married July 28,1956,Yvonne (and as she always fondly called him) her “Billie Boy” had four children, Glenn (Rose) Westlake, Gary Westlake, JoAnna (Mark) Mulligan, and Jennifer (Andrew) Bradley; 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

After retiring the family moved to Jerome, ID where Bill's family was living. Bill worked as maintenance supervisor of Tupperware Inc. until 1984 when Bill filled his lifelong dream of buying a full service station, Bill's Service Station. Bill worked in the shop as head mechanic offering his clients only the best full service. Yvonne was the secretary doing all the book work. As Bill's business grew his sons, Glenn and Gary, and son in law, Mark, worked in the bays and his daughters, JoAnna and Jennifer, helped out pumping the full service gas and keeping the books. In 1998, Bill and Yvonne retired selling the station.

Rarely did a day go by that there were not kids, grandkids and all their friends not at the house being fed lunch with Nan and Pa. Pa treating the kids with homemade french fries so they would all go back to school or work with the scent of being at the bowling alley. Pa was always known as the chauffeur driving kids to the many destinations with never a complaint.

Pa loved being with his kids and grandkids, watching them growing up over the years with the annual camping trips and boating trips at Anderson Ranch. Pa  bought his boat to make the camping trips more fun, with countless hours of trolling for fish and all the kids learning to water ski. There were endless vacations taking the grandkids on an adventure. Pa loved watching the grandkids play baseball, motocross, softball and volleyball. He never missed a game or failed to express his opinion on any of the calls! Pa loved to watch NASCAR races, Mark Martin was his hero. You could always find Pa out in his garage that he turned half into a wood shop making gifts for everybody. Following up with endless days of Daniel Boone and the Lone Ranger.

Bill is survived by his wife Yvonne, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and sister, Dorothy Kruger.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Bert and Stella Westlake; grandson, Bobby Westlake; and brother in law, Herman Kruger.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, April 24, 2017 at Farnsworth Mortuary, 1343 S Lincoln Ave, Jerome, ID. Graveside services will conclude with Military honors at Jerome Cemetery.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Bill's memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com.