The Rev. George Nelson West, a longtime area religious leader who served several churches in Richmond, died Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019.

He was 95.

Rev.West grew up in ChurchHill and graduated from Armstrong High School before entering the Army during World War II. He achieved the rank of sergeant and was part of the D-Day invasion at Normandy on June 6, 1944.

After military service, Rev. West enrolled at Hampton Institute, now Hampton University, where he earned a bachelor’s in business management.

He worked for decades as a budget analyst and fiscal assistant at McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center in South Side, where he was the first African-American head bookkeeper. He retired after working there 32 years.

He was called to the ministry in the 1970s and was licensed in 1977 and ordained in 1979 at Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Richmond, where he was a longtime member and served as Sunday School teacher for more than 30 years, Sunday School superintendent and deacon for 20 years and as a member of the Usher Board and choir for a number of years.

He later earned a master’s of divinity from the Virginia Union University School of Theology.

He served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Louisa for 20 years, from 1980 to 2000. Upon his retirement, he was named pastor emeritus of the church and the church’s education building, which was built during his tenure, was named in his honor.

He remained active in the ministry, serving largely as interim pastor of several churches in Richmond and vicinity, including Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Pilgrim Baptist Church and Disciples for Christ Community Baptist Church, all in Richmond, and Guildfield Baptist Church and Mount Zion Baptist Church in Powhatan.

Rev. West held leadership positions in several organizations. He was a past president and dean of instruction of the Baptist State Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress of Virginia; a past president and executive board member of the Mattaponi Church Sunday School and B.T.U. Convention; past chairman of the board of trustees of the Virginia Baptist Children’s Home and chaplain of the Richmond Chapter of Hampton Alumni.

At the time of his death, he also was chaplain of the Richmond Chapter of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. Survivors include his wife, Mary Gordon West; daughter, Beverly West; sons, Reginald Gordon and David Eric Gordon (Rose); a brother, Cornelius “Neal” West; and six grandchildren.A funeral service was held Friday, Sept. 20, at Good Shepherd Baptist Church, with interment at Forest Lawn Cemetery.