Robert A. Best

1924 - 2014

Robert A. Best was the youngest of 3 children, born in 1924 in Washington State. He grew up in the town of Montesano, earned his athletic letters in basketball, football, and baseball, and joined the Navy in 1941 after graduating from high school. He served on a Destroyer Escort, the USS Seid, and saw service in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. He went to the University of Washington, graduating in 1948, with a degree in business.

Bob met Patti (Clark) Mustard, a Kirk girl and a war widow with a boy, Jim Best of Boulder, at the farm of a friend of his, and married her in 1947. He and Patti had 2 daughters, Sue Carnathan of Billings, Mont., and Judy Wall of Tulsa, Okla.

They moved to Denver where he found work at a shipping company, then in 1953 they moved to Stratton where he joined Patti's two brothers, Gene and John at the First National Bank.

He became a partner to the bank and the Clark Insurance Agency later. He and Gene sold the bank in 1981 and they retired. Patti died in 1982.

Bob, in 1983 married a Stratton girl, Serena (Selenke) Simon and he added her nine children to his clan.

He was a member and supporter of the American Legion, served on the Stratton school board, was a charter member of the Stratton Golf Club and a long-time supporter of the University of Washington Huskies. He was a member of the Stratton United Methodist Church.

Bob is survived by his wife, Serena Best, their 12 children, Jim Best, Sue Carnathan, Judy Wall, Ellen Nielson, Patti Jones, David Simon, Louise Mills, Barbara Rueb, Janice Pautler, Ted Simon, Ann Hedges, and Karen May, as well as 10 sons- and daughters-in-law, 27 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

He passed at home in Stratton peacefully, surrounded by family on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014 at the age of 90.

Funeral services for Bob were held on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014 at 10 a.m. at the Stratton United Methodist Church with Pastor Teri Baird officiating.

Burial followed in Claremont Cemetery in Stratton with Military Honors provided by the Stratton American Legion.

Visitation was held on Monday, Nov. 10, 2014 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Love Funeral Home in Burlington.

Memorials may be made in Bob's name to the Stratton American Legion or to the Stratton United Methodist Church and may be left at or sent to the Colorado East Bank and Trust, 141 Colorado Ave., P.O. Box 286, Stratton, CO 80836.

Friends may go to www.lovefuneralhomes.com to sign the family's online register book and to leave an online message of condolence for the family.

Funeral services were entrusted to the Love Funeral Home in Burlington.