Reuben D. Best, Jr., 84

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August 26, 2010

The Daily News of Newburyport Thu Aug 26, 2010, 02:00 AM EDT

AMESBURY — Reuben D. Best, Jr., (Ret.), 84, of Amesbury, has now joined his wife, Marguerite Gallant, daughter, Michelle Best, and parents in hereafter, on Monday, Aug. 23, 2010 at Sacred Heart Hospital with his children by his side.

Born in Newburyport to the late Effie and Reuben Best, Sr. He was an aerospace engineer and consultant raising a family of five children in Gahanna, Ohio.

Rube was a war veteran, U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant of the 398h Bombardment Squadron, 504th Bombardment Group, earning the Purple Heart, surviving a crash landing on the Island of Iwo Jima on April 24, 1945.

He is survived by four more children, Stephen Best CGD, Arthur Best, Denise DeCandia, and Kenneth Best, D.C. He has five grandchildren, Danielle Pouti, Jackie Bunton, Nicholas Best, Aaron Hooffstetter, Justin Best. He has three great-grandchildren Nathan Best, Ava Marie Bunton, and Ellis Best; and three nephews.

Reuben loved to travel with family and took a pilgrimage with his late wife to Lourdes France and Jerusalem; and with the aerospace industry all over the world, especially working tirelessly on the OV-10 Bronco program. He loved football and was very active in coaching and Boy Scouts for his family.

He was the first inductee to the OV-10 Hall of Fame.

ARRANGEMENTS: Family will receive friends at the Jutras Funeral Home, 118 Friend St., Amesbury, on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Service and burial immediately following. Burial with Military Honors will follow at the Bartlett Cemetery in Amesbury. Condolences may be sent to family at: kenbest@kenbest.com.

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