Joseph "Joe" West, 87, of Butler died at 1:45 p.m. Thursday at Butler Memorial Hospital from complications of pneumonia.

Born June 29, 1919, in Butler, he was the son of John and Sophie Kovolcic West.

He was a graduate of Butler High School.

Mr. West was a master sergeant in the Army during World War II and served in the European theater. He also played the horn in the U.S. Army Band. As the son of Polish immigrants, he spoke several Slavic languages and was a military translator for displaced persons during WWII.

He was an expert welder and worked for the Spang & Co. for years and later for the Butler Area Sewer Authority.

He belonged to the AmVets and the county workers' union.

Surviving are his wife, Martha Brandon West,whom he married Dec. 31, 1941; two daughters, Marva West Tan of Timonium, Md., and Rebecca West of Chicago, Ill.; a son, JB West and his wife, Kay Odegard, of Woodinville, Wash.; a sister, Nellie Hill of Cleveland, Ohio; and two nephews and a niece, Robert and Ronald Brandon and Mrs. Peter (Kathy) Rogers, all of Butler.

<B>WEST </B>— The funeral service and burial were private. A memorial service for Joseph "Joe" West, who died Thursday, Dec. 7, 2006, is planned for later.Contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 300 Penn Center Blvd., Suite 602, Pittsburgh, PA 15235.Arrangements were handled by the <B>Young Funeral Home,</B> and information also is available at www.youngfuneralhomes.com.