Earl Best

Earl Best
Went to be with his Lord on April 24, 2006.

Earl was born February 22, 1927 in Long Beach, Calif., the son of Glen and Nellie Best. In 1932 the family moved from California to a farm in Admire, Kans., where he started school at the age of five. The family moved back to California. In 1936 they settled in Whittier. His father worked in the oil fields until they moved to Oregon in December 1941, to a farm on Thompson Creek. Earl enlisted in the Navy at age 17, and served in the South Pacific during WWII. In 1943 he met Doreene Duval, and they were married in Reno, Nev. on Nov. 11, 1945.

He was discharged from the Navy in 1946, and entered into a partnership with his dad, his uncle, Glenn Hunter, and his cousin, Billy Joe Hunter, and a sawmill was started on Thompson Creek, later moving to Ruch. Logging and sawmilling was a big part of his life.

In Nov. 1946, both Doreene and Earl accepted the Lord as their personal Savior. It was only a short time later when they dedicated their lives to the Lord and the Lord began the journey starting at Multnomah School of the Bible.

After graduation, Earl and Doreene went back to Ruch to start Ruch Community Bible Church. Throughout the years he pastored numerous churches in the valley. He started Wilderness Trails in 1967. Earl worked for Josephine County in the probation department in 1971-1979. He drove over the road truck before retirement. When he retired, he accepted a job as chaplain for Providence Hospital and Asante. He especially liked working in the cancer center. Earl also took on the new task of learning a second language. He chose Spanish to be of better assistance to those people who could use his help in his daily work.

Earl is survived by his wife, Doreene; his children, Linda Keener, Judy Milton, Douglas Best, and Glen Best; his sister, Grace Stephens; 11 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be held Saturday, April 29 at 11:00 a.m. at Community Bible Church in Central Point. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Providence Hospital Hospice, Providence Cancer Center, Wilderness Trails, P.O. Box 4655, Medford, OR 97501, or your own personal favorite charity.

He's laughing!
He's loving!
He's living!


Published in the Mail Tribune (link) on 4/27/2006.