Julia C. West

Julia C. West, a respected attorney and longtime resident of Kingsport, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at The Blake after a courageous battle with an extended illness. She was 85 years old.

Julia was born in Rhodell, West Virginia, the daughter of Arvil Boyd Cyphers, Sr. and Mildred Cyphers.  The family relocated to Kingsport in 1945.  She was named for her grandmother, Julia Lane, a school teacher from Scott County, Va.  She had a love of books and shared her grandmother’s passion of learning and higher education, which has led to the funding of scholarship programs through local universities for many years. She also had a strong affection for the Appalachian Mountains, the history of the people of Appalachia and her own family heritage, which she studied and shared throughout her life.

Julia graduated magna cum laude from East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in English. Her love of literature and poetry led her to earn a Master's degree in English Literature from the same university.  From there, Julia went on to pursue a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and passed the Tennessee Bar Examination in 1992.  

Julia's legal career spanned more than two decades, focusing on government tort liability.  She was a member of the Kingsport Bar Association, serving as its president in 2000.  She was also a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and was admitted to practice before all State Courts in Tennessee, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth and Fourth Circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

In addition to her legal accomplishments, Julia was a member of the academic honor societies Alpha Lambda Delta, Phi Kappa Phi, and Phi Delta Phi.

Julia attended First Presbyterian Church of Kingsport, and was a dedicated member of the Kingsport Rotary Club for more than 20 years, where she was actively involved in their community service projects and initiatives.  Her contributions to the club and the Kingsport community will be deeply missed.

Julia’s life was sustained by her deep love for family, including her marriage to her beloved husband, Lacy. She and Lacy bred, raised and showed Tennessee Walking Horses, including “Mack K’s Big Story”, “Go Boy’s April Love”, “Sweet Revenge” and “Final Expression”, many of which competed for national championship titles.  She also shared the love of many family dogs and cats throughout her life, including Victoria, Charlie Jack, Sarah, Blue and many a barn cat. 

Julia was preceded in death by her husband, Lacy West.  Julia is survived by brothers, Boyd Cyphers and wife Sharon, David Cyphers and wife Patty; sister, Jeannie Wax and husband Sam; step-children, Thomas L. West, Marilyn Turner, and Betsy West; five grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; and seven nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, May 23, at Oak Hill Memorial Park, Kingsport. A memorial service will follow at 1:30 p.m. at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home, 117 E. Charlemont Avenue, Kingsport. The family will receive friends at Hamlett-Dobson following the memorial service. 

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to the Julia C. West Foundation, established to continue her legacy by supporting local education and arts, as well as efforts to support animal welfare, all causes Julia cared deeply about.   Donations can be addressed to Julia C. West Foundation, 537 E. Center Street, Kingsport, TN 37660-4869.