Jude West

JUDE WEST

Iowa City

Jude Patrick West, 84,

of Iowa City, passed away Monday, April 13, 2015, at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, April 17, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City with Father John Spiegel officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City. Burial with military honors will be at St. Joseph Cemetery. A luncheon to celebrate Jude's life will be held at the University Club, 1360 Melrose Ave., Iowa City, immediately following the burial.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Systems Unlimited or the Regina Catholic Education Center.

Jude was born March 26, 1931, in Chicago, Ill., the son of Roy and Catherine Foley West. He was united in marriage to Nancy Keegan on June 23, 1956, in Bellwood, Ill. They were married for 38 years and the love of his life passed away in 1994. Jude received his B.A. in philosophy from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in 1953 and an MBA. from the University of Chicago in 1961. He received his Ph.D. in social foundation of education from the University of Iowa in 1963. He was employed by the University of Iowa until his retirement in 2001.

As a professor, he was known for treating his students as colleagues, respecting their opinions while he helped them learn. In 1998, he was recognized by Business Week magazine as one of the six most popular M.B.A. professors at the University of Iowa. He had been called upon to serve as a campus mediator and frequently helped resolve conflict issue within and among departments and units on campus. The contributions he made to the university in this role, often in response to requests from UI presidents, are incalculable. He had clearly proven his integrity and trustworthiness, and earned the respect of many across campus as he had helped to bring these critical issues to resolution.

Even though Jude officially retired in 2001, he became co-director with president emeritus Willard "Sandy" Boyd of the Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center in 2002. In that role, he assisted the Endow Iowa program at the state level, taught short courses on nonprofit organizations throughout the state and pioneered a very successful "Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness" class, bringing together some 22 different faculty members to make it happen.

His work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors. He was given the First Lifetime of Service Award and named a Friend of Systems Unlimited for his long years of service to that organization; he received the Ruth Becker Award for Outstanding Contribution to The Arc of Johnson County; and he was given an Isabel Turner Award by the Iowa City Human Rights Commission. In 2000, Jude received the university's Michael J. Brody Award for Faculty Excellence in Service; and in 1985, he earned a Hancher-Finkbine Medallion for learning, leadership and loyalty from the University of Iowa.

Jude is survived by his children, Mark West of Iowa City, David West (Anne) of Purcellville, Va., Maureen West (Dr. Michael Gannon, M.D.) of Bellingham, Wash., Ann Browning (Roger) of Iowa City and Eileen Patterson (Christopher) of Nevada, Iowa; and 14 grandchildren, Jake West, Stuart West, Caroline West, Emma West, Sarah Patterson, Keegan Patterson, Cooper Patterson, Bridget Patterson, Mark Gannon, John Gannon, Roger Browning Jr., Ali Browning, Zoe Browning and Kenyon Browning.

He was preceded in death by his wife; parents; and sisters-in-law, Mary Beth Regan and Kathleen Neal.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.lensingfuneral.com.