Wake County Commissioner and former Raleigh council member James West dies

Dan Kane, Anna Johnson
·1 min read

Wake County Commissioner James West, who served nearly 25 years for Wake and Raleigh governments, died Friday night.

He was 79.

“Wake County leaders and staff are incredibly saddened by the sudden loss of Commissioner Dr. James West, who passed away Friday night,” Wake County spokeswoman Alice Avery said in a news release Sunday.

“Dr. West’s commitment to public service and dedication to our community have left an indelible mark on Wake County. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and the many residents whose lives he’s touched.”

A professor emeritus at N.C. State University, West was appointed a county commissioner in 2010 and held on to the seat for the next four elections.

His seat would have been up for election next year. West was a Raleigh council member from 1999 to 2010, and served as mayor pro tem from 2003 to 2010.

Avery said West’s family is asking for privacy and no services have been confirmed yet.

(This is a breaking news story and will be updated.)