Charles F. “Charlie” West, age 73, died Tuesday, October 11, 2016 in Clayton, New Mexico.
Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 22, 2016, at the First Baptist Church in Eldorado, Texas.
Charles Franklin West was born on October 13, 1942 in San Angelo, Texas to the late William (Jimmie) and Mora Lee West. After graduating from Eldorado High School Charlie attended Angelo State College, Schreiner Institute, and Texas Tech University.
Charlie was involved in numerous occupations to include ranching, banking, oil and gas, land title insurance agent, president and founder of Clayton Title Services, Inc., serving the needs of the surface, mineral, and royalty owners.
Charlie at one time was a private investigator, operated a bail bond company and auto repossession agency, owned and operated a bar/lounge, and lastly, became a full-time landman in the oil and gas industry and a licensed land title agent and owner of Clayton Title Services, Inc. for over 30 years.
Charlie put together the largest land acquisition, consisting of 1,600,000 acres in Northeastern New Mexico, known as the Bravo Dome Carbon Dioxide Gas Unit for Amoco Production Company.
Charlie was proud of his heritage and family history. His father’s family was a pioneer ranch family who settled in Schleicher County. Charlie’s grandfather was the first postmaster of Verand before Eldorado became a town. His mother’s father, Ben Meckel, herded goats throughout the Sonora countryside. During the depression, Charlie’s grandparents bought a ranch and an adjoining farm in Schleicher County.
Charlie was the great-grandson of the late J.L. Davis, a noted early-day Texas Ranger and Sonora sheriff. Charlie was a life member of the Former Texas Rangers Association and a life member of the National Association of Royalty Owners and National Association of Royalty Owners-Texas, serving on the advisory board and as a director-at-large for 18 years and a certified professional mineral manager.
He was also a member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the National Association of Royalty Owners (NARO) - advisory board; Oklahoma Chapter of the National Association of Royalty Owners; American Association Petroleum Landmen-Registered Professional Landman Degree; Permian Basin Landmen Association; New Mexico Landmen Association; American Land Title Association; and the New Mexico Land Title Association as a Licensed Land Title Agent for 32 years.
His hobbies were working and collecting southwest Indian artifacts. Charlie was preceded in death by his parents and grandson Candiyn James West.
He is survived by his soulmate and companion Loretta Vigil, one daughter Charetta West; three sons, Charles Shane West and his wife Stacey, Charlton Schel West and Cove Henderson West; five grandchildren, Ciyana and Cali Tucker, Jayton, Hunter, and Mason West; one sister, Barbara Clark; and one brother, Floyd West. He is also survived by nieces and nephews Shannon West Biondo and husband Teak, Vincent Dale Clark, Kenneth Lynn Clark, Jr. and wife Loretta, Dr. Charles Lee Clark and wife Heidi, William Kelly Clark and wife Lisa, Allyson Clark, Matthew Aragon and wife Sheridan, Andre Aragon, Candace Aragon, Mark Aragon and wife Cheyenna, Wilfred Vigil, James Martinez and wife LaJena, Stephen Vigil, Christian Vigil and Bradley Carter.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Former Texan Rangers Association or the COPD Foundation.
Please visit www.hassfuneralhome.com to view the online obituary and sign the guestbook.
