Thelma "Teddy" Charlton West

On Saturday, August 31, 2024, Thelma Charlton West, passed away at the remarkable age of 100, on her ranch in Ione, CA. Born in 1924 in Fall River, Mass into a family made successful by her grandfather, Earle P Charlton, a founder of the F.W. Woolworth Co. and a significant philanthropist to his community. Teddy used his example to be the very generous person we all knew.

At age 6, her mother moved her and her brother Chuck to Reno, Nev. Teddy grew up there and spent summers in Fall River. Her mother remarried Reno surgeon, Dr. Bart Hood, who became an adored stepfather. 

Teddy attended Westlake School in LA. She excelled at school, but she most loved playing golf. Teddy won the Nevada State Women’s golf championship amongst adults at age 16. 

At 12, her mother asked 18-year-old neighbor Fraser West to teach Teddy to ski at Mt Rose. That sealed a mutual lifelong love of the ski lifestyle. 

Teddy was a pre-med student at the University of Nevada. Fraser was wounded and back home in 1945 from WWII duty in Guam, and wisely proposed to her. They married in 1945. Over the next decade, they had 4 children. Though very young children of divorce, they were firm in their own vows and were married 3 months short of 70 years.

They lived frugally on military pay for his 23 years of service. Teddy was a very active mom as:  a 4-H leader, transporting her kids and animals to many county & state fairs, dance and music classes, and endless ski races and horse shows. 

In 1959, they bought a small lot and built a cabin in Squaw Valley to attend the 1960 Olympics. Fraser supervised Marine troops to boot pack the ski courses. This led to their lifelong love of the Olympic tradition. Teddy also officiated at the 1980 Lake Placid and 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics (at 78!) alongside Fraser.

After moving to their Ione ranch in 1973, both became very active and extremely successful in raising registered Texas Longhorn cattle and dogs. 

Teddy was a lifelong volunteer extraordinaire: a meticulous secretary, ombudsman, and profound giver of her time, skills, and a ready checkbook to many organizations. A member of the National Ski Patrol, baking for Sutter Creek Sourdough Days to support the Trinity Episcopal Church, active in the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) for 65 years. In 1990 she went on a Christian mission to the Philippines to aid an earthquake-struck community. In the pre-digital age, she xeroxed copies of dozens of ski races and rodeo results, even hand-compiling all the Lake Placid Olympic results in 500 commemorative binders. 

Teddy had the gift of making and keeping friends all over the world through letters and check-in calls.  She and Fraser loved having people over to the ranch for cattle roping’s, BBQ parties, dog shows, and holidays. 

She found comfort in her faith, and it deepened as she faced life’s challenges, which included raising an autistic son. At Westhaven ranch, many a soul found a bed, meal, and hospitality for a day, month, or even 4 years. Her children often brought a lonely friend home for holidays, all were welcome and never judged.

In her last years, she said the best part of her day was petting a good dog, watching the new calves out her window, and hummingbirds darting around the ranch. 

Teddy was preceded in death by her husband Fraser West, brother EP ”Chuck” Charlton iii, step-sister Eunice Hood, step-brother Douglas Hood,  and is survived by all her children (Christina, Charlton “ Bill” West, Caryn West, and Sondra West- Moore), 5 grandchildren (Christine Stuber, Leia Rehn, Andreas Iain West, Alison Sudol, and James Moore) and 3 great-grandchildren (Isabella West,  Awen Tor Sudol-Cullen and Mati Wythe Sudol-Cullen) and nieces Stacey Charlton, Cynthia Bardes Galvin, and nephews Edward and David Bardes.

Flowers and condolences may be sent to: Westhaven Ranch, 10300 Road Ione, California, 95640.