Harold Dean Hodgson Best, 98 of Tulsa, Oklahoma died at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 at Brookdale Assisted Living facility in Claremore, Oklahoma.
He was born Dec. 20, 1923 in Wichita, Kansas, to Flora Esther Fisher and George William Hodgson. He was adopted by Clyde Monte Best on Aug. 6, 1925. He attended Dodge City High School and graduated in 1942. He married Mary Lou Braman Simkin on Dec. 26, 1950, in Miami, Oklahoma. They were married 56 years before her death in 2006. He was employed by Spencer Chemical, Co Gulf Oil, Chevron, and finally Agrico where he retired after 34 years in the fertilizer division.
He joined the U. S. Navy in 1943 and served on the aircraft carrier Lunga Point, CVE94 in the Pacific Ocean. He took part in the invasions of Luzon, Philippine Islands, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
He is survived by two sons, Steven of Claremore, David and wife Terri of Bristow, Oklahoma; three grandsons, Bradley and wife Crystal, Alex and wife Natalie, Daniel and one granddaughter Jillayne; four great grandsons, Hunter, Aaron, Harrison and Thomas and three great granddaughters, Sarah, Avery and Hadley.
He was preceded in death by his parents and wife.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 28, 2022 at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Columbus, Kansas, where the family will receive friends one hour before the service. Burial will be at the Park Cemetery in Columbus. Memorials may be left to the Keith Reeves American Legion Post #3. These may be left at or mailed to the funeral home. Condolences may be left at www.bathnaylor.com.
