Dr. Dan C. West, 86, of Atlanta, Georgia, died peacefully on March 30, 2026, surrounded by his family.
Dan was born on May 29, 1939, in Galveston, TX. He was one of four children of Embry Carlos West and Mildred Louise Junker West. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, TX. After one year at the University of Texas, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy for three years before resigning his commission to pursue a ministry career. He completed his bachelor’s degree in history at Austin College in Sherman, Texas where he met and later married Sidney Claire Childs in 1963.
Dan earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary, a Doctor of Divinity from Vanderbilt University, and an EdD from Harvard University.
From 1965 to 1968, Dan served as the minister of Smyrna Presbyterian Church in Smyrna, TN. He returned to Austin College as director of church relations and he became president of Arkansas College, now Lyon College, in Batesville, AR where he served for 16 years. He later became president of Carroll College in Waukesha, WI and then he served as Vice President for Development at Union College in Schenectady, NY. He then served as Vice President for Development for Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA.
In January 2008, he and his wife retired to Atlanta. He came out of retirement for almost a year to serve as interim vice president for development at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA.
In 2010, Dan and Sidney moved to Druid Hills where his last 16 years were filled with concerts, lectures, seminars, visits with friends, time spent with his children and grandchildren, and great happiness. He enjoyed classical music, particularly Mozart. He read voraciously and was willing to explore different genres, never leaving a book unread. He gravitated toward biography, theology, and history and owned thousands of books, which he often gave away.
He is survived by his wife of almost 63 years, Sidney Claire Childs West, to whom he was devoted.
Dan also leaves behind his daughter Elizabeth Claire West Jones and her life partner, Eric Palefsky, his two beloved grandchildren, Shelby Louise Jones and Dalton Ellis Jones, and his son Andrew Childs West. He is survived by two sisters, Nan Gay Barker and Janet White Penry, and his younger brother, William (Bill) West (Ann). In addition, he had nine nieces and nephews, 12 great nieces and nephews, and four great-great nieces and nephews. For over 50 years, he kept up with every single one of them and shared news of all his family and friends in the weekly Family Letter.
A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held at 11:00 AM on April 10, 2026, at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. The Rev. Dr. Tony Sundermeier, Dr. Anne Stewart of Princeton Theological Seminary, Dr. George Wirth, and the Rev. Rob Sparks will officiate. A reception will follow at the church. A private burial service will take place at Westview Cemetery after the reception. Arrangements are by H.M. Patterson Oglethorpe Hill, Brookhaven, GA. The service will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. You may access the livestream using the following link: https://vimeo.com/event/5838798
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to any of the following:
– Lyon College – Dan C. and Sidney West Endowed Scholarship (https://www.lyon.edu/?campaign=528559)
– Union College-West Endowment for the Campus Protestant Ministry (https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/8340/donations/new)
– Swarthmore College – West Endowed Scholarship (https://engage.swarthmore.edu/portal/giving_form)
