Clinton,

Mildred Louise (Blackman) Best, 88, of Clinton, NC, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Thursday, May 30, 2024.  She passed away at home peacefully with family by her side.

Funeral service will be held Friday/June 7, 11:00 at Crumpler-Honeycutt funeral home with Minister Robert Oliver officiating.  Burial will follow immediately afterwards at Wayne Memorial Park, Goldsboro, NC.

Mildred, born in 1936, a native of Wayne County NC was the daughter of the late Leslie Raymond Blackman, Sr., and Dora Lee Johnson Blackman.  She was a graduate of Piney Grove High School.  Mildred served our nation as a federal civil servant working on the Explorer I and Explorer II satellite programs in Washington D.C. building circuit boards and assisting with designing the control console for the first U.S. satellite in space.  She continued serving our great nation through her support as a loving wife for her husband a Vietnam Veteran, who served our country 26 years.  While living overseas in support of her husband’s USAF assignment to Pakistan, she was engaged in missionary work for the Church of Christ and served as Den Mother for the Cub Scouts of America Islamabad Pack 1.  She was also credited with being a founding member of the Landmark Church of Christ in Montgomery, Alabama.  Mildred worked for and retired from Kinpak, Inc. of Montgomery Alabama as a chemical products quality assurance technician.  After retiring Mildred moved back to her roots in North Carolina with her husband Rudolph where she became an active member of the Clinton Church of Christ and friend to all spreading the love of Jesus.  She enjoyed gardening, loving all her “four legged and two legged” animals, and spending time with her family and friends.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 60 years Rudolph Valentino Best, brothers Charlie William Blackman, Leslie Raymond Blackman II, Jr., and sisters Althea Madeline Chesnutt, Margaret Elizabeth Gillis, Doris May Blackman, and Dora Lee Tyndall.

Surviving are:

Two sons: Stevie Randall Best and his wife Julie of Montgomery, Alabama and L. Duane Best and his wife Tammy of Holt, Florida.           

Four Grandchildren:  Christopher Best and his wife Kristin, Brittany Best, Michael Best, Michelle Rhoads and her husband Patrick, and two Great-grandchildren, Ethan Best and Avery Rhoads.

She is also survived by; loving sisters Nellie Ann Honeycutt and Phoebe Annette Blackman both of Clinton, NC.  And her ever present and loving friend Kay Gillmore, caretaker Barbara Hall, and numerous other precious relatives and special friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Clinton Church of Christ, 21 Deems Drive, Clinton, NC 28328.

The family will receive friends from 10:00-11:00, Friday/June 7, 2024, just prior to the service at Crumpler-Honeycutt funeral home, 118 Fayetteville St., Clinton, NC 28328.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.crumpler-honeycutt.com.