Ruth Elizabeth Best

Ruth Elizabeth Best passed away Thursday, August 29, 2024 at Holland Farms of Norwalk and woke up in the arms of Jesus shortly after declaring “I am free!” after suffering many years with dementia.

She was born at home June 9, 1940 in Des Moines, IA to Kermit and Doris (Felton) Fisher.

She was the fifth of eight children and was spunky, you had to be a go getter with a family of eight kids.

Her first daughter Julie Ann Umphress was born in 1958, she resumed school and graduated from East High School in 1959. Ruth was a hard worker. She was employed as a secretary at AMF as well as the Des Moines Fire Department. She loved what she did and worked her way up the ladder.

In 1971 she met and married James D. Best Jr. They met at Drake University while attending night classes. They were the oldest people in the class at the ripe old age of 30. Jim asked her out for coffee and the rest is history. They married on July 2, 1971 and were married until his death in 2009.

In 1976 she had another daughter Anna Elizabeth Best. She had been wanting another child for many years and took this time to retire from secretarial work to raise her daughter.

In 1983 the family moved to Swan where Ruth began babysitting. She loved all the kids she sat with and considered them part of a big family. She also volunteered to be a girl scout leader in Pleasantville for a few years, the kids (now very much grown up) can still recall taking field trips to many great places including Spaghetti Works in Des Moines.

Ruth was heavily involved in church activities and didn’t shy away from sharing the gospel with the kids she sat for. God was a big part of her life and always put him in the center of it.

In 1996 Ruth became a grandmother. She loved this roll and enjoyed having the kids over for popcorn and movies, making chocolate chip cookies, and overnight slumber parties. 

Ruth is survived by her daughter Anna (Mike) Humeston, grandchildren Gino Fontanini, Alexandria (Chris) Fleming, Emily Humeston, Scott Humeston, siblings Pat Miller, James Fisher, Bill (Martha) Fisher, Betty Van Buskirk, Linda (Bill) Quaintance and several nieces and nephews.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband James Best Jr., daughter Julie, parents Kermit and Doris, brothers Raymond and Kermit, as well as several in-laws.

Ruth was a loving woman who opened her heart and home to many children through the years. She will live in our hearts always and we cherish the fact that we know we will see her again someday. Until we meet again mom. I will love you forever.

A memorial in Ruth’s memory can be made to Freedom for Youth - Knoxville where children can hear the gospel and share in the love of Christ that mom provided to all the kids she cared for through the years.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, September 14, 2024 at the New Covenant Church, in Knoxville, Iowa, at 11:00 a.m.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.  A private burial has been held at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Des Moines.  Bybee & Davis Funeral Home is handling arrangements and online condolences may be left at www.BertrandFuneralHomes.com.