Earnest Best

Earnest L. Best, age 103, formerly of Des Arc, Arkansas, passed away January 16, 2015 in Huntsville, Alabama where he resided with his eldest daughter. Earnest was born in Rose Bud, Arkansas, October 13, 1911, the third son of John Bunyan and Annie Lea Best nee Anschultz.
Earnest attended Tomberlin High School, but dropped out as the Great Depression deepened. The son of a sharecropper, Earnest set himself on the hobo trail, riding the rails from Florida to Michigan. Moving with the harvest, he worked in 36 states during the 1930's.
In Michigan, as the country recovered from hard economic times, Earnest found steady work. He married Ferne Aileen Bradeen in 1938 and began to raise his family. He entered Kalamazoo Central High and finished his high school diploma.
For the next 37 years, Earnest worked in and managed commercial laundries, eventually owning his own facility. He was very active in community affairs, founding two 4-H clubs, acting as president of the PTA and chairman of the Boy Scout Committee, and serving as Vice President of the Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society. He was a member of the American Institute of Laundering and the National Association of Institutional Laundry Managers. He founded the Southern Michigan Association of Institutional Laundry Managers. He acted to persuade Michigan State University to include Hospital Laundry Management in its curriculum.
Upon retirement, Earnest and Ferne operated a horse farm, specializing in quarter horses for show.
In 1986, Earnest moved to Des Arc and married Mary Corinne Eans. In Des Arc, he organized a chapter of the AARP, serving as its president for several terms. He was active in persuading the Arkansas Board of Education to reintroduce Arkansas history in all public schools.
Earnest was a member of the Grand Prairie Historical Society of Gillett, the White County Historical Society, the American Family Association and the Council of Conservative Citizens.
At age 78, Earnest began running in the Arkansas Senior Olympics. During the four years of his participation, he collected 23 medals, including 17 gold. In 1989, he ran in the National Senior Olympics held in St. Louis, Missouri. At the age of 90, he began publishing regularly in 3 weekly newspapers.
Earnest is the author of Sharecropper's Son, The Hobo's Trail, Sharecropper's Son: A Sequel, It'll All Come out in the Wash, and The What Knott Family as well as other titles and numerous articles.
Earnest is preceded in death by Ferne Best and Corinne Best, grandson, Tim Best, brothers Clifford, Henry and Johnie, infant son Lloyd and infant daughter Bonnie Jo.
He is survived by 5 children, Earnest Lee Best (Jungeun) of Kalamazoo, MI., Janet Holmes (Bill) of Kalamazoo, MI., Richard Best (Li Hua) of Boca Raton, FL., Mary Mello (Damian) of Swansea, MA., Karen de Howell (Rowland) of Huntsville, AL.; step-son, Dr. Thomas Eans (Judy); 12 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; 4 great - great grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services will be held at Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Des Arc, Arkansas on Friday, January 23, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. The family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. until service time, with burial in Lakeside Cemetery. Hampton Cove Funeral Home of Hampton Cove, Alabama and Smith - Westbrook Funeral Home of Beebe, Arkansas are assisting the family.