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The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., July 3, 1942, page 1

LYLE BOY DROWNS

Bill West, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.E. West, of Lyle, drowned in the Columbia river Tuesday while swimming. The body was in the water about two hours before picked up by grapplers from The Dalles. The White Salmon and Bingen fire departments responded to a late call, making the trip in 25 minutes including a stop for the Bingen inhalators. But nothing could be done to revive the lad.

The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., July 10, 1942, page 1

WILLIAM CLAUS WEST

Funeral services for William Claus West, who was drowned Tuesday afternoon, June 30, in the Columbia River, were held Thursday evening, July 2, at the Lyle High School gymnasium with the Gardner Funeral Service in charge. Interment was in the Balch cemetery.
Bill West was born in The Dalles February 8, 1927 and had lived in Lyle most of his life, attending school there until his death. He was very active in school athletics and was held in high esteem by his team-mates.
William Gregory Jr., Lyle coach last year, came from Ellensburg to sing two solos during the funeral services.
Surviving him are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.E. West; two sisters, Mrs. Jasper Pace of Seattle, and Colleen of Lyle; one brother, Keith; four uncles, Jafes Staack of Pasco, Perda Staack of Glenwood, Frank Staack of The Dalles, and J.A. West of Denver; and a grandmother, Martha Dymond of White Salmon.
Serving as pallbearers at the funeral services were the members of his basketball team, Harry Smith, Harry Stigers, Harlan Hemm, Sam Dean, John Robinson and John Clark.

The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., July 3, 1942, page 1

BOY DROWNS IN RIVER TUESDAY
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ATTEMPTS TO REVIVE BODY FUTILE AFTER BEING IN WATER TWO HOURS

Billy West, 15 year old Lyle boy, was drowned in the Columbia River near Lyle Tuesday afternoon while swimming there. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James West of Lyle.
He and other youngsters were swimming in the Columbia when the accident happened. They report that he dived in and came up several times and then sank. They immediately ran for help, but lost track of the immediate vicinity of his body while away and it was nearly two hours before he was found.
When the tragedy was learned here locally, Bud Watkins, county first aid chairman, rushed to Lyle with the Bingen Fire Department inhalator and grappling hooks but young west had been in the water too long.
A bump on his head indicated that he had struck something in the water and it is believed he was unconscious when he drowned as he was reported to be a good swimmer.
His body was taken to the Gardner Funeral home where definite funeral arrangements had not been made at press time.

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., July 2, 1942, page 1

LYLE BOY DROWNS IN COLUMBIA; ALL FIRST AID FAILS

Klickitat county's first drowning of the year occurred at Lyle Tuesday night. Bill West, 16-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J.E. West of Lyle, was the victim.
Young West was swimming with several companions in a cove near Lyle when the drowning occurred. His companions said he had dived from a springboard and may have been injured. He came to the surface momentarily and then sank.
The body was recovered 2¼ hours later. The Bingen fire Department rushed its inhalator to Lyle. All efforts by first aid workers failed to revive the boy.

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., July 9, 1942, page 5

LYLE HOLDS FUNERAL RITES FOR WEST BOY

Lyle - (Special) - The funeral for Billy West who died here in the Columbia river Tuesday afternoon was held in the Lyle gym Thursday evening at 6 p.m.. Rev. Jefferson, of White Salmon, conducted the services and Gardner's Undertaking parlors were in charge. Bill Gregory, who was coach of the sports in which Billy took an active part, came from Ellensburg and sang two songs.
Billy was born in The Dalles, Feb. 8, 1927 and was past 15 years of age. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.E. West, a sister Colleen and a brother Keith, of Lyle, and a sister, Mrs. Zena Pace of Seattle, his grandmother, Mrs. M. Dymond of White Salmon and other relatives and friends who regret his passing and extend deepest sympathy to the family. He, with three children younger than himself, was swimming and it is believed as he dived from a board he struck his head on something. The body was not found for two hours and 15 minutes, and all was done that was possible to revive him, but to no avail.