William Joseph Best

Lieutenant J.G. William J. Best (Bill) Naval Veteran and P T Boat navigator during WWII passed away peacefully at 96 on April 28, 2018 surrounded by family and his “Angels” from Mendelson Home Assisted Living at Lourdes Senior Community, Waterford, MI. He was married to his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Elizabeth for 72 years. William graduated from University of Detroit and was an innovative chemical engineer for the auto industry but his claim to fame was contributing to the development and patent of Nerf Foam. Bill was an avid golfer and loved spending time with family and friends on Cedar Island Lake where the family lived for over 60 years. Survived by his wife Elizabeth (O’Donnell) Best; sister Marytherese Merritt and sister-in-law Rita O’Donnell. Father of 9: the late Christopher, Melinda (David) Calme, Rebecca (Richard) Holman, the late Timothy, Jennifer Cronin, Lisa (Dean) Wilson, Mary (Remi) Zecman, the late William T. and Georgina (Jamie) Neylon. Fun Grandfather of 13: David (Valbona) Calme; Coral and Megan Cronin; Erica (Charles) Sloan; Jesse (Neil) Fiest; Lindsey (John) Pilling; Kaitlyn, Amanda and Joseph Wilson; Madeline (Jack) Snyder, Eric Zecman; and Phoenix Neylon. Proud great-grandfather of 16: Griffin (fiancé Alex) and Morgan Calme; Paola Kaciqi; Kendal, Devon, Zoey and Connor Sloan; Anneliese Fiest; Lyla, Eve, Addie and Oaklee Pilling; Orion and Archer Traverso; and Alivia Kate Wyatt. Loving uncle of many notable nieces and nephews especially Martin “Co-Bro” Jones and honorary “Grandpa” to Amine Moussaousi. Preceded in death by parents JFW and Berenice (Franchere) Best, sisters: Sr Gilmary Best IHM, Dorothy (Jack) Jones, and Isabelle (John) Kanaly; sister-in-law Jane (Robert) Anderson; brother-in-law William (Joyce) O’Donnell; grandson James Christopher Neylon and grand-daughter Deana Calme. William and Elizabeth were active members of St. Patrick Catholic Church, White Lake, for over 60 years where Bill was a Catechist, Eucharistic minister, lecture, and children’s liturgy minister. William will be fondly remembered for his personal charity work with homeless, going as far as bringing them to his house to live and even buying homes for some. He’ll also be remembered for his adventures including broken down motor home trips, famous elevator rides, two tracking up north in the live military range, scary Halloween exhibits and tricks, freezing at the cabin with no electricity, heat or plumbing, spontaneous vacation and fishing trips. A memorial mass will be held at 11:00 am, Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 9086 Hutchins in White Lake. Arrangements handled by the Union Lake Chapel of the Elton Black and Son Funeral Home.