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Larry Best Obituary

Family-Placed Obituary

BEST, Larry J. age 69 of Tipp City, passed away Thursday, February 7, 2008. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frances & Vernon Best; and brother, Jack Best. Larry is survived by his loving wife, Sandi Boston Best; 4 step-children, Mark Kramer, Brian Kramer, Tara Germann, Jason Boston; 2 children, Anne Marie & Lawrence Best; 6 grandchildren: Sara, Hayley, Rachel, Rayna, Sofia, Michael; his sister, Linda Berry; sister-in-law, Betty Best; family friend Inderjit Sodhi and 6 loving nieces & nephews. He was a retired engineer after many years of service with companies in Dayton and Chicago. Larry was loved for his dry sense of humor and was a loving husband, father,grandfather, uncle and friend. He will be dearly misssed by all who knew and loved him. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7PM Sunday at the MAGETTI GAVIN FUNERAL HOME, 1508 Valley Street, where Funeral Services will be held 1PM Monday. Interment to follow in Valleyview Cemetery, Xenia, OH.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Dayton Daily News on Feb. 10, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Larry Best

17 Entries

Anne Best-May

March 17, 2008

Sorry to say I didn't really know him. However from all of the amazing and warm comments, he must have been a wonderful person.

Allen Campbell

March 8, 2008

I had the honor to work with Larry,
(Uncle Larry to his friends) for many years at Taylor Hobson In Illinois.
Larry was the type that would always stop whatever he was doing to help you if asked. He forgot more about computers than most people know. We all enjoyed his unique sense of humor, mine is similar, that is why we got along well together.
You could always count on Uncle Larry for help with your computer.
We missed Larry the day he left work, and we miss him more now.
Larry was a great person, all his old friends at work were very sorry to hear of his medical problems.
Larry: This evening we will have a toast for you. We miss you.

Shafik Ahmad,MD

February 19, 2008

God speed!

Tara Germann

February 14, 2008

Here's a copy of the eulogy I wrote:

Larry Best June 21, 1938-February 7, 2008

Larry Best was a loving husband, brother, father, grandfather, uncle and friend. Larry, through no fault of his own, fell into and became a welcome and loved member of our family for over thirty years. We will miss him dearly. Larry and his brother Jack at parties never met a vodka bottle they didn’t like. They were two of a kind and they would not want us to cry but to laugh and celebrate there long and happy lives. Because that is how they lived through laughter and family. Larry and I also had long standing jokes only between us. He was like a second father to me for that I will always be thankful. With Larry food was always his thing like the time I made ratatouille, a vegetable dish, and heard about it for months and also Cincinnati chili, one of his favorites. Hot sauce was considered a food group to him. Hot sauce went with everything from hot cereal to ice cream. Larry, being a talented engineer, was also a computer and hi tech expert with things as high definition TVs and anything computer stuff. Larry was also one of the few people that could talk with my husband Rich for hours about computer and TVs and they both enjoyed it very much. In fact, Larry always looked forward to the times we would come over so that they could talk techie stuff and leave me and Mom in the dust.

Larry’s dry sense of humor was always good for a quick laugh. You could be talking something serious and he would just rip off one of his jokes and make everything a little lighter. His love of golf was still evident today, although he couldn’t play, he still loved watching his Tiger.

One of Larry’s dreams was to operate his own casino. I know today he is in heaven sitting at a blackjack table with vodka on ice in one hand and a cigar in the other looking down on us today. Larry and I had a special relationship, although he is not my real dad I always thought of him as a father. Whenever I would go over to visit him we would always greet each other with funny sayings and my mom would look at us like we were nuts, but it was special to the both of us. Because Larry, Rich and I had birthdays that are in the same week, my heart will be a little empty as our three musketeers will be one short this year.

I thank God that Larry was brought into my mom’s life because he made her so happy. I know the last couple of years they couldn’t do the traveling they once did but they just loved spending time together at their desks or just watching Fox News. Larry, thank you for making my mom, Sandi’s, life so full of love and happiness, you are the light and love of her life and will always be. We will all miss and love you forever. You touched our lives in different ways and for that we are thankful. Larry, God bless you, we love you and know you will never be forgotten because someone with your spirit never can be.

Inderjit Sodhi

February 14, 2008

Eulogy as read at funeral service:

We have come here today to mourn a death but perhaps you could join me for a brief moment in time to celebrate a life.

Let us celebrate the life of a good and decent man. A good a decent man named Larry.

Larry was many things to many people: a software engineer, a metrology expert, a wiseguy, a movie critic; this list could go on, but Larry needs not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life.

Larry needs to be remembered simply as a good and decent man. He was a brother, a father, a grandfather, a husband and a friend.

Larry was the measure of a good man.

Larry was a cool guy.

Yes…Larry was a cool guy. He may not have been your typical stereotype of a cool guy but he sure fit the role. Always a cool guy… something that I always admired about him.

I never witnessed Larry lose his temper during the years I knew him – he sure had the opportunity because I know I gave it to him on more than one occasion…but he never lost his temper in front of me and speaking with some of you over the last few days, he never lost his temper… Larry was the measure of a good man.

Larry could hold a straight face when he told you something funny – you could never tell if he was serious or not.
I used to tell him he would make a great poker player, a great gambler… but his many visits to Las Vegas proved otherwise…

Larry was a humble man – he never had to tell you how smart he was or try to impress you with who he was. It was evident once you got to know him. He left a lasting impression on people – just ask my son: when he was three years old he met Larry for the first time. Larry gave him a little calculator with colorful buttons. About three years later they would meet again and when I asked him if he remembered Larry – he proudly beamed:

“Sure I remember Larry! Larry gave me a calculator!”
I was dumbfounded and proud of both of them. Larry loved kids and kids loved him.

Larry was an innovator…always working on a project that would somehow change our world. His passion for these projects amazed me – I always wished that he would come up with something that would have been a household name – it would have been the BEST invention…no pun intended…

I wasn’t there when Larry passed away but I did have a chance to visit him a short time before.

Larry lit up when he saw me and for a short while, we shared some of the good old times we had been through. We talked about our days in metrology – metrology for those of you who do not know – is the science of measurement. Metrology was a very fitting career choice for the man who would become the measure of a good man - the measure of which other men would be judged by.

On my drive home to Chicago I thought about how much Larry had been a mentor and good friend for so many. I thought about how I had learned so much from a man who had kept such a low profile.

I also thought about what was to come. I thought about how much weight had been put on Sandi and how she was there by Larry’s side the whole time. It was difficult for both of them. I thought about all the fears Larry would face but would find solace in the care of his wife and family. Larry would have been proud to know that all of you came here today.

I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes, painful things like this happen.
I know I share this pain with all of the people gathered here today.

If anything, I can ask for forgiveness here and now at a time when I have so much to say but no longer the opportunity.

Larry will always be a reminder for all the kindness and goodness that he brought to our lives.

If I can say one thing it would be that Larry was the measure of a good man; a measure that most of us can try to live up to.

I have never been one for saying goodbyes so I will say it this way:

Auf wiedersehen - rest now my friend until we meet again.

Janice Merch

February 11, 2008

Larry was one of a kind. Every one that knew him will truly miss him!

Melanie Maddex

February 10, 2008

My Dearest Uncle Larry,
I will miss you very much. I know you are in a great place with Granny and Grandpa and I hope you get a round of golf in with Uncle Jack. That would make mom happy. Love Forever,

February 10, 2008

We will miss your spirit.

Katie & Virgil Schroeder

February 10, 2008

We are so sorry to lose a neighbor on Rose Petal Drive here in Tipp City where he lived. Our heart goes out to Sandi, his children, stepchildren and all his relatives.

Harry, Mari & Deb Paget

February 10, 2008

We have many fond memories of Larry. He and my dad worked together at Rank in Illinois, and have remained good friends for many years. Our hearts and prayers go out to you.

Jim Kozlowski

February 10, 2008

You were the best brother-in-law I ever had. You will be missed by all that you touched.

Sandi

February 10, 2008

There is a picture of Larry. Click on the "Photo Album" link at the right.

Tina Norris

February 10, 2008

Sandy,
I am truly sorry for your loss. You and Larry were so much fun to visit. I loved his sense of humor and he kept me on my toes. I will miss him.
Love always
your friend
Tina

Mark Kramer

February 10, 2008

Thanks Larry for taking such good care of that Damn Woman!

Love, Mark

Bill Weaver

February 10, 2008

My sympathy

angel,james,jordann,devon, cody,and brylee dillon

February 10, 2008

Larry had a way of putting a smile on your face no matter the day you may have had. I remember the day that he told me that he and Sandy were going to get married, I asked Larry have you gotten her a ring yet and he said no I got her a screwdriver. Of course I said Larry your kidding me right, he said no she likes it when I buy her tools. But, Sandy did get a beautiful ring and her sweet Larry. The journey that they took to finally be together is one you must hear from Sandy, she tells it with much love. Sandy you are in our prayers and you had the best times with Larry and he will truely me missed.