Harris Westcott (West) Vayo, 86, of Perrysburg, died Saturday, July 2, 2022, at the Manor in Perrysburg. He was born November 15, 1935, to the late Theodore and Helen (Williams) Vayo of Rogers Park, Illinois. He graduated from Maine Township High School (Park Ridge, Illinois), received a bachelor of arts degree from Culver-Stockton College (Canton, Missouri), and a master of arts and PhD in mathematics from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana). After graduation from Illinois, he had a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
West was a professor of mathematics at the University of Toledo. His area of interest was applied mathematics with emphasis in biological applications. He did research and taught during sabbaticals at McGill University, Royal Victoria Hospital, Illinois College and Cornell University. He retired in 2016 having taught at the university for almost 50 ∏ years.
West married his wife, Sue (Lyter) on July 26, 1975, in Port Royal, Pennsylvania, and she survives. Also surviving are son, Scott (Mauricio) of Lynn, Massachusetts; daughter, Lynette (fiancé John Martens) of Endicott, New York; son, Isaac (Lauren) of St. Paul, Minnesota; three nieces, Amy Fultz (Brian) of Grosse Pointe, Michigan; Melissa Ellis (Arick) of Lake Bluff, Illinois, and Sarah Pendry (Erik) of Geneva, New York; brother and sister-in-law, George and Carrie Lyter of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania; sister-in-law, Joyce Vayo of Grosse, Pointe, Michigan, and eight grand-nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, John W. Vayo, on July 5, 2018.
Besides his family and teaching, West enjoyed reading, sculpting (being a member of the Toledo Area Sculptors Guild), University of Toledo women’s basketball, volunteering at Antietam National Battlefield, playing Roy Hobbs Baseball, cross-country skiing and hiking the Adirondacks. A big sports highlight for him was when the Cubs finally won the World Series.
A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, August 4, 6 to 8 p.m., at Poco Piatti in Levis Commons. Interment will be private.
Donations in West’s name can be made to Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Toledo Museum of Art, Igniters (UT women’s basketball fan club) or a charity of the donor’s choice. ∏