You stated yourself, in plain language, the exact reason why your complaint is pointless. While I sympathize that there was a family illness and you were unable to make your trip, America West has a policy that I highly doubt was not given to you with your ticket, and which you accepted when you purchased your ticket, stating that you have a full year to re-route the funds in your ticket. To me, that seems like a very generous policy.

It is not their fault your father fell ill, and it is not your fault that you forgot about the ticket in your drawer. They did provide the service, you simply did not show up to collect. Therefore, they owe you nothing. Part of receiving what you paid for when you purchase a ticket for a flight or a show is showing up when it says to on the ticket. If they cancelled the flight, you'd have reason to complain. However, you do not.

As a final note, obviously this money is not as great a loss as you seem to note it is above, otherwise you never would have let the ticket languish for that long. I think you forgot, plain and simple, and when you found it, you were disappointed that they made you follow the rules.