Ben Best, 97, lifelong resident of Crabtree, passed from his home on Bald Creek to his heavenly home Sunday morning, July 12 with his family around him.

Born on Crabtree Mountain on January 6, 1929, to George and Cecile Hill Best, Ben grew up during the Great Depression with his brother, Gerald, and his sisters, Martha (Hawkins) and Barbara (Brown) and two next farm cousins, Hillary and Bill Medford. The four boys spent many happy hours roaming over the mountains, possum hunting and trapping muskrats to earn a few dollars. They would be teenagers before electricity and indoor plumbing reached the community.

When Ben was five, the Best family moved to Liner Creek, near Rock Springs Church and three-room school. As his two older siblings crossed the creek to attend school, he would follow and sit on the foot log, eager to join the other children at play. The teacher enrolled him a year early and he attended until the school consolidated with the new Crabtree School when he was in third grade.

Rock Springs Baptist Church played an important role in Ben's Life. His family began attending services there when he was five years old. When he was a little older, the church paid him fifty cents weekly to sweep the church and build a fire in the huge wood stove. As a young teenager, Ben made a profession of faith in Jesus and was baptized in a fishpond at the pastor, Rev. Pink McCracken’s home.

Always faithful in attendance at Rock Springs, Ben held many positions, including that of deacon for 68 years, chairman of the building committee, and once giving a year of labor acting as building contractor for a major addition to the church. At the time of his death, he was the oldest member of the church, having attended there for 92 years.

Ben graduated in 1947 from Crabtree Iron-Duff High School in a class of 13 students. A year later he volunteered to join the United States Army. He served his country in Germany, dismantling weapon depots left from World War Two. Upon discharge from the Army, he worked as a carpenter and farmer and as a substitute mail carrier where he met his future wife, Clarine Greene.

In 1955, Ben and Clarine were married and moved to Bald Creek where they lived for 71 years. Ben began work at Champion Paper and Fiber Company in Canton, where he helped organize the trucking department from which he hauled the first load of board paper to the new Champion facility in Waynesville to be coated with plastic for making milk cartons.

Retiring after 36 years at Champion, Ben continued to work as a farmer, driving a tractor and baling hay until he was 95 years old.

Ben was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Gerald Best, a sister, Martha Best Hawkins and a granddaughter, Rachel Best.

He is survived by his wife, Clarine Greene Best, three sons, Marty Best (Karen Smathers), Randy Best, and Tracy Best (Gwen Norris) and a sister, Barbara Best Brown. He is also survived by a grandson, Jeremy Best (Caitlin Hensley) a granddaughter, Maggie Best, step grandchildren, Christian Hunt and Helena Hunt and five great grandchildren, Haiden Woods, Jake Woods, Palmer Best, Jace Bennett Best and Tyler Best. Also left to remember him is a host of other relatives, neighbors and friends.

Sincere thanks to all the people (too many to mention) who helped him through the pain of living with prostate cancer, and who helped the family bear the burden of losing our guiding light.

Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 17, 2026, at Rock Springs Baptist Church, 2554 Liner Creek Road, Clyde. The family will receive friends from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. prior to service. Burial will follow at Upper Crabtree Community Cemetery with Military Honors.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Upper Crabtree Community Cemetery, C/O Jerry Sutton, 64 Footsy Drive, Clyde, NC 28721.

The care of Mr. Best has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville.