Naomi Mae Best

Naomi Mae Best, the daughter of Herman and Mary Rachael (Walters) Peterson, was born March 7, 1925, at her parents’ home in rural Oakland, Iowa and died December 8, 2014, at the Exira Care Center in Exira, Iowa at the age of 89 years, 9 months, and 1 day.
Naomi was baptized and confirmed at the First United Presbyterian Church in Atlantic, Iowa. She attended rural schools near her home then graduated from the Atlantic High School with the Class of 1943. Naomi lived in Atlantic, Iowa and was employed as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone.
On June 22, 1949, she was united in marriage to Gene Sherman Best at her parent’s home north of Atlantic. Four children David Gene, Cynthia Kay, Steven Russell, and Cheryl Ann were born to this union. Naomi was a homemaker for several years while the children were young. She returned to work for Bell Telephone where she was employed for 33 years until she retired. Naomi and Gene lived on a farm west of Exira, Iowa and in November of 1989 they moved to their present home in Brayton, Iowa. During retirement they enjoyed traveling especially to Arkansas and Florida. In June of 2008, Naomi and Gene moved into the Atlantic Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Gene died July 31, 2009. Later in 2010 Naomi moved to the Exira Care Center.
Naomi was a life-long member of the First United Presbyterian Church in Atlantic, Iowa. She was a member of the Brayton Community Club, and was a member of the Pioneers, a volunteer network for the phone company. She was an active member of both the Elk Horn Saddle Club and the Audubon Saddle Club. Naomi and Gene loved to dance and play cards and belonged to several card clubs. She loved to baby sit for her many grandchildren. Naomi was an excellent cook and loved to garden. She enjoyed caring for her lawn and doing most of the landscaping herself. She always kept an immaculate home and loved to decorate for the holidays.
Preceding her in death were her husband Gene S. Best; her daughter, Cynthia Kay Best Fisher; her daughter-in-law, Linda Rae Best; her parents; her brothers: Irvin and wife Darlene Peterson and Wayne Peterson; and her sister-in-law Ruth and husband Glenn Thompson.
Survivors include her children: David Gene Best and Steven Russell and Lynda Best, all of Brayton, IA; Cheryl and Dave Huedepohl of Parnell, IA; her son-in-law, John Fisher of Des Moines, IA; her grandchildren: Jeremy Best and Chelsea Taggart of Council Bluffs, IA; Jennifer and Craig White of Chicago, IL; McKenzee Fisher and finance Brandon of Houston, TX; Trent Fisher; Heidi and Darren Sickerson; Jodi and Steven Noble, all of Des Moines; Abby and Joe Rasmussen of Exira, IA; Sara Best-McCoy and Cord of Tupelo, OK; Jodi Best of Brayton; Wendi and Tyler Langel of Bennington, NE, Lindsay and Amos Lange of Ord, NE, Whitney and Rick Willenbring of Iowa City, IA; Cody Huedepohl of Houston, TX; Tyler Huedepohl and finance Sara Hebl of Perry, IA; Lindsey Huedepohl of Ames, IA; her great-grandchildren: Cynthia Jo, Alexander, Emma and Landon Best, Sienna White, Anna, Maggie, William, and Wyatt Langel, Austin, Zoey, Skyla, and Harper Rasmussen, Malia Willenbring; Morgan, Drew and Madison Sickerson; her sister-in-law, Donna Peterson of Alta, IA; her daughter-in-law: Patricia Best of Pella, IA; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.