Vera Gwendolyn "Gwen" Best was born April 6, 1922, in St. Louis, Mo., to Jesse Jean Nelson and Leta May (Sisco) Nelson. She was the youngest of their three children.
Gwen received her education in the public school system and went on to the University of Missouri/Columbia to earn a bachelor's degree in social science. She began her teaching career in Missouri as a high school history and Spanish teacher.
When World War II created very low teaching salaries, she had to borrow money for taxes and returned to St. Louis to work in office jobs. Her preference was teaching and her passion was for education so off she went to California when the state was recruiting teachers as a result of its shortage.
Gwen moved West and was back at her favorite job, which she continued for 33 years. It was in her classroom that she first met Van Best, a teacher orienting her to their school, and she tells, "I knew he was gonna marry me." On March 19, 1954, she married Van Ward Best in the Episcopal Church in Whittier, Calif. She liked this job, too, and stayed with it more than 50 years.
In 1981 after both retired, they moved to Klamath Falls. The lure of the railroad tracks near their home was a deciding factor. Both volunteered at the Klamath County Museum for 13 years. Railroad devotion, traveling, vintage movies and reading were hobbies until Gwen's vision no longer allowed her to continue.
She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings. She is survived by nieces Carol Clifton and Joni Parker, a brother-in-law John Owen, numerous other family members over a large geographical area, and her "best friends" Bud and Phyllis Sexton, Sue Helmuth and Helen Maze.
- As written by Gwen Best
Gwen passed away exactly two weeks after the death of her beloved "Mick" just shy of their 58th wedding anniversary. Her family and friends are saddened, however rejoice at the reunion of this very special couple.
Gwen received her education in the public school system and went on to the University of Missouri/Columbia to earn a bachelor's degree in social science. She began her teaching career in Missouri as a high school history and Spanish teacher.
When World War II created very low teaching salaries, she had to borrow money for taxes and returned to St. Louis to work in office jobs. Her preference was teaching and her passion was for education so off she went to California when the state was recruiting teachers as a result of its shortage.
Gwen moved West and was back at her favorite job, which she continued for 33 years. It was in her classroom that she first met Van Best, a teacher orienting her to their school, and she tells, "I knew he was gonna marry me." On March 19, 1954, she married Van Ward Best in the Episcopal Church in Whittier, Calif. She liked this job, too, and stayed with it more than 50 years.
In 1981 after both retired, they moved to Klamath Falls. The lure of the railroad tracks near their home was a deciding factor. Both volunteered at the Klamath County Museum for 13 years. Railroad devotion, traveling, vintage movies and reading were hobbies until Gwen's vision no longer allowed her to continue.
She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings. She is survived by nieces Carol Clifton and Joni Parker, a brother-in-law John Owen, numerous other family members over a large geographical area, and her "best friends" Bud and Phyllis Sexton, Sue Helmuth and Helen Maze.
- As written by Gwen Best
Gwen passed away exactly two weeks after the death of her beloved "Mick" just shy of their 58th wedding anniversary. Her family and friends are saddened, however rejoice at the reunion of this very special couple.
Vera Gwendolyn "Gwen" Best was born April 6, 1922, in St. Louis, Mo., to Jesse Jean Nelson and Leta May (Sisco) Nelson. She was the youngest of their three children.
Gwen received her education in the public school system and went on to the University of Missouri/Columbia to earn a bachelor's degree in social science. She began her teaching career in Missouri as a high school history and Spanish teacher.
When World War II created very low teaching salaries, she had to borrow money for taxes and returned to St. Louis to work in office jobs. Her preference was teaching and her passion was for education so off she went to California when the state was recruiting teachers as a result of its shortage.
Gwen moved West and was back at her favorite job, which she continued for 33 years. It was in her classroom that she first met Van Best, a teacher orienting her to their school, and she tells, "I knew he was gonna marry me." On March 19, 1954, she married Van Ward Best in the Episcopal Church in Whittier, Calif. She liked this job, too, and stayed with it more than 50 years.
In 1981 after both retired, they moved to Klamath Falls. The lure of the railroad tracks near their home was a deciding factor. Both volunteered at the Klamath County Museum for 13 years. Railroad devotion, traveling, vintage movies and reading were hobbies until Gwen's vision no longer allowed her to continue.
She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings. She is survived by nieces Carol Clifton and Joni Parker, a brother-in-law John Owen, numerous other family members over a large geographical area, and her "best friends" Bud and Phyllis Sexton, Sue Helmuth and Helen Maze.
- As written by Gwen Best
Gwen passed away exactly two weeks after the death of her beloved "Mick" just shy of their 58th wedding anniversary. Her family and friends are saddened, however rejoice at the reunion of this very special couple.
Gwen received her education in the public school system and went on to the University of Missouri/Columbia to earn a bachelor's degree in social science. She began her teaching career in Missouri as a high school history and Spanish teacher.
When World War II created very low teaching salaries, she had to borrow money for taxes and returned to St. Louis to work in office jobs. Her preference was teaching and her passion was for education so off she went to California when the state was recruiting teachers as a result of its shortage.
Gwen moved West and was back at her favorite job, which she continued for 33 years. It was in her classroom that she first met Van Best, a teacher orienting her to their school, and she tells, "I knew he was gonna marry me." On March 19, 1954, she married Van Ward Best in the Episcopal Church in Whittier, Calif. She liked this job, too, and stayed with it more than 50 years.
In 1981 after both retired, they moved to Klamath Falls. The lure of the railroad tracks near their home was a deciding factor. Both volunteered at the Klamath County Museum for 13 years. Railroad devotion, traveling, vintage movies and reading were hobbies until Gwen's vision no longer allowed her to continue.
She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings. She is survived by nieces Carol Clifton and Joni Parker, a brother-in-law John Owen, numerous other family members over a large geographical area, and her "best friends" Bud and Phyllis Sexton, Sue Helmuth and Helen Maze.
- As written by Gwen Best
Gwen passed away exactly two weeks after the death of her beloved "Mick" just shy of their 58th wedding anniversary. Her family and friends are saddened, however rejoice at the reunion of this very special couple.
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