Mary Ellen Best

A Celebration of Life Service for Mary Ellen Best will be held on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Oxford, Nebraska with Reverend Eldon E. Fablinger and Mr. Neil McInturf, officiating. Interment will be held in the Oxford Cemetery following the services.

Mary Ellen Best, 73 years of age, of Oxford, passed away on Thursday, June 8, 2017 at the Select Specialty Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska with her children by her side. Mary Ellen was born October 10, 1943 on the family farm west of Orleans in Harlan County, Nebraska, the eldest of five children born to Harold Brown Jr. and Marjorie G. (Broeker) Brown. Mary Ellen received her primary education and secondary education at Oxford, where she graduated from Oxford High School with the class of 1961. As a young girl she was very active in 4-H, Pep Squad, and stayed busy helping on the family Dairy Farm.

Following her high school education, Mary Ellen pursued higher education at the Parks School of Business in Denver, Colorado in 1962.

On March 29, 1974 she was united in marriage to Donald "Bud" Best at the United Methodist Church in Oxford. The couple were blessed with four children: Shelly, Rob, Kris, and Chad. The family made their home on a farm south of Oxford, where Mary Ellen devoted her life to her family as a loving farmwife, mother, and grandmother. Mary resided on the farm until the passing of her husband, Bud on September 23, 2000. She then moved into Oxford, where she made her home until her passing.

Mary Ellen loved her Husker sports, especially volleyball, baseball, and football. Most of her spare time was spent following her children and grandchildren's activities. Anyone who knew Mary Ellen well can easily understand that her shoe fetish could fill a shoe store. She will be deeply missed.

Besides her husband, Bud who preceded her in death; Mary was greeted at Heaven's gate by her parents; brother, Dean Brown and his wife, Doreen, sister-in-law, Lynette Brown; father-in-law and mother-in-law: Wallace and Enid Best; and many other cherished family, and friends.

She leaves to celebrate her life; her four children: Shelly Cisneros and her husband, Tracy of Holdrege; Rob Best of Oxford; Kris Miller of Kearney; and Chad Best and his wife, Kerrie of Oxford; ten grandchildren: Eric Jackson and his wife, Michaela; Erin Hudson and her husband, James; Dakota and Chance Best; Megan Hammond and her husband, Brett; Kale Miller and his wife, Taylor; Shyanne Miller; Dalton, Draden, and Krista Best; eight great-grandchildren: Bryar and Bryant Jackson; Robert, Hoyt, and Barhett Hudson; and Bregan, Braxton, and Brecklyn Hammond;three brothers: Gary Brown of Oxford; LeRoy "Farmer" Brown of Oxford; and Kent Brown and his wife, Linda of Axtell; sister-in-law, Carol Blue of Holdrege; and nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 13, 2017 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Oxford.

A memorial has been established in Mary Ellen's honor and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Mitchell-Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Oxford is in charge of the arrangements.