Yvonne Westlake

Yvonne Westlake passed away peacefully in her home with her family surrounding her on October 09, 2018

Yvonne was born in Norwich Norfolk, England April 12, 1937, to Alfred and Ethel Godfrey, the third of six children. After her father passed away in the war the kids pulled together working to make ends meet, such as helping the neighbor, Mr. Ward, pluck feathers from the chickens for a shilling or walking to Yarmouth Beach, helping the fisherman clean their fish in trade for some seafood to take home. Yvonne loved her cockles or any seafood for that fact. Recently she loved crawdad fish boils the family would have, with piles of crab, shrimp and them crawdads... Her face lighting up.

Yvonne met Billie Westlake while he was stationed in England with the US Air Force. They met by chance when her and her girlfriend went to a dance on Elm Hill, Norwich where Billie stole her bike. Yvonne, desperate to be home on time, wasn't very pleased with Bill but agreed to meet him the following week at the dance hall if he would return her bike. The following week led to 61 years together.

Billie and Yvonne were married on July 28,1956 in England, they moved to the states in 1957 when Billie was transferred to California, they traveled various places over the next 20 years together with the military. In 1971 Bill retired from the military and they moved to Jerome, ID. Together they had four children, Glenn, Gary, JoAnna and Jennifer.

Over the years Yvonne worked the potato harvest, Tupperware, Safeway and JC Penney’s. In 1984 Bill and Yvonne bought a full-service gas station where Yvonne did the books while Bill did the repairs. Yvonne, better known as Nan to the kids and of course “The Queen”, always had grandkids with her babysitting, anytime you walked in the house or station you would see a playpen. Yvonne’s kids and grandkids gave her so much joy. There were endless trips taking them fishing, camping or on road trips. In 1998 Bill and Yvonne retired but never stopped with the grandkids. The kids were always at their house for lunches to feed their grandkids and endless friends never with a complaint. Summers were full of canning, so she could make sure all the kids could fill their cupboards up. You would always see Yvonne in her garden, it was her passion, tending her flowers and not ONE weed to be found! Yvonne supported all her grandkids at their games and motocross, she didn’t much care for them, but she loved watching the kids and visiting with all other parents. When her grandson did motocross Yvonne would close her eyes pretty much the entire time with some OO, OOO’s is he alright, while snapping pictures; yes, with eyes closed, but she got a few good ones! You couldn’t make it down an aisle in the grocery store without stopping with somebody for a quick catch up that was never quick! Yvonne’s favorite holiday was Christmas, she loved giving and helping everybody. Yvonne and Bill would decorate to the fullest, Yvonne inside Bill outside, Griswold’s lights galore, Christmas village, tinsel on everything and not an inch left under the tree for that just one more thing she needed to get for someone. So much food baked and cooked, kids running in circles and constant laughing and visiting.

Yvonne is survived by her children, Glenn Westlake, Gary Westlake, JoAnna (Mark) Mulligan, and Jennifer (Andrew) Bradley; 9 grandkids and 12 great grandkids. She was preceded in death by the love of her life, husband Billie Bert Westlake; parents; and grandson, Bobby Lee Westlake.

A Celebration of Yvonne’s Life will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, October 15, 2018 at Farnsworth Mortuary, 1343 S Lincoln Ave, Jerome. She will be laid to rest next to her Billie Boy at Jerome Cemetery.

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