Melvin Leroy Best's Obituary
Melvin Leroy Best passed away October 1, 2013, at age 92 in Plano, TX. He was born on February 10, 1921, in Paducah, TX to George and Grace Cook Best. He was married to Gladys Hayes Best from Corsicana, TX for 69 years. Upon retirement from Paul Revere Life Insurance Co. and American United Life Insurance Co., they moved to Tool, TX at Cedar Creek Lake. Birdies surrounded Melvin all of his life. At an early age he learned to hunt quail and dove. As an adolescent he learned to play golf and competed in tournaments for the next 50 years, shooting more than his fair share of birdies and eagles. He was on the Lubbock High Golf Team, the Texas Tech Golf Team, and the WWII Third and the Fifth Air Force golf teams. He played in at least 101 golf tournaments in the South Plains area where he was champion 25 times, medalist 20 times, and shot 7 hole-in-ones. During WWII he was a B-25D Mitchell Strafer/Bomber pilot, flying 62 missions with the 345th Bombardment Group Air Apaches. He was one of the original 16 pilots for the 498th Squadron Falcons before becoming the Assistant Operations Officer for the Fifth Bomber Command in the South Pacific. Upon returning to the States, Capt. Best, at age 23, was the youngest Squadron Commander at Greenville Army Air Base, SC. He was chosen to pilot one of the B-25 airplanes that flew in President Roosevelt’s funeral procession. He was a member of Kemas Men’s Social Club at Texas Tech; the Texas Tech Double T Association, lettering in golf; the Masonic Temple; and the Lubbock Lion’s Club. He was a member of Southcrest Baptist Church, Lubbock; St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Lubbock; Cedar Creek Lake United Methodist Church, Tool; and Christ Church, Plano. Melvin had four passions in life: his family, playing golf, retelling WWII stories, and his love of The Lord Jesus Christ. Known as ‘Gramps’ to several generations of family and friends, he is survived by his wife, Gladys and twin daughters, Carol Hillman of Carrollton and Judy and Jim Zurlis of Richardson; grandsons and families: Crae and Judy Hillman, Rebecca and Hannah, Plano; Scott and Amy Zurlis, Jake and Jessi, Plano; Steven and Cari Zurlis, Hunter and Hailey, Frisco; granddaughter and family: Ryan and Anne Hillman Thomas, Pierce, Henry, and Benjamin, Granbury. Visitation will be Thursday, October 17, 6-8pm at Restland Funeral Home. Memorial service will be Friday, October 18, at 10:00am at Christ Church Plano, 4550 Legacy Dr., Plano. The celebration of his life will continue at lunch with a sharing of warm remembrances, humorous stories, and toasts to a life well lived. Interment will be at 2:15pm at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a scholarship to be established in his memory at Texas Tech University. Gramps was The Best father and husband. He repeatedly stated that “Nobody has had a better life than I have.”
What’s your fondest memory of Melvin?
What’s a lesson you learned from Melvin?
Share a story where Melvin's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Melvin you’ll never forget.
How did Melvin make you smile?