Meet Darlene West

Darlene and her husband, Joe, first came to Florida from Annapolis, Maryland, seeking a warmer climate. In 2000, they found the perfect place on the north fork of the St. Lucie River and have been calling it home ever since. As a self-professed "water baby," Darlene was drawn to living near the water, describing it as one of her "happy places."

It was her neighbor, a volunteer water tester for Florida Oceanographic, who first introduced Darlene to the organization. When her neighbor asked her to help with water testing Darlene was hooked. From there, she began volunteering in various roles with Florida Oceanographic.

Since 2017, Darlene has accumulated over 100 hours of volunteer service, contributing to water testing, oyster shell bagging and matting, seagrass restoration, beach cleanups, public outreach, and more. She loves the variety of opportunities and the chance to work with such a supportive team, feeling appreciated for every contribution.

Darlene’s journey before volunteering is equally impressive. She began her career when women were just starting to break into software development, working as a NASA contractor for 43 years. Initially focused on operations, Darlene eventually transitioned into software development, writing code for 15 years. Even after stepping back from coding, she remained an integral part of NASA’s software teams, contributing to major milestones, including the Space Station, Space Shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). While she retired before JWST and JPSS launched, Darlene is proud of their successes and excited to see their missions fulfilled.

Outside of her career and volunteer work, Darlene cherishes her family. She met Joe at work in 1975 and became a proud stepmother to his three daughters. Together, they now have four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Her family is spread across California, Arizona, Idaho, and Kentucky, but they make sure to see each other at least once a year. Darlene also enjoys spending time with her sisters—one who winters with her in Florida, and the other who resides in Delaware.

In her downtime, Darlene loves walking, reading, and staying connected with family and friends. Her story is one of dedication, community spirit, and a lifelong passion for learning and giving back.

SNAPSHOT:

Born: Annapolis, MD

Education: Bachelor's degree in Math from McDaniel College (formerly Western Maryland College) Master's degree in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University

Favorite local restaurants: Dolphin Bar and Grill: Enjoys the food and loves dining by the water. Jan’s: Often visits after watching the sunrise or participating in a Florida Oceanographic independent beach cleanup. Loves the food and typically brings home enough leftovers for two more breakfasts.

Recent books: Boys in the Boat, The Women

Movies, TV, streaming series you would recommend: Watches very little TV or streaming services, but enjoys HGTV, especially while working on house renovations.