- Date Of Birth: May 27, 1937
- Date Of Death: August 16, 2016
- State: Illinois
John Elvin Best, Jr., 79, of Dunlap, died on Tuesday, August 16, 2016, 4:07 PM, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, Peoria. John was born on May 27, 1937, in Argyle, Iowa. He was the son of John Elvin and Mary (Dunn) Best. John married the love of his life, Clara Jo Sauer, on September 2, 1962, at her parents’ house in Shelbina, Mo.
He is survived by his loving wife, Clara, of Dunlap; son, John (Delores) Best, of Lindenhurst, IL; three brothers; three sisters; grandchildren, Jennifer Velasquez, of Lindenhurst, IL and Mark Best of Grayslake, IL ; a great-granddaughter, Jasmine Velasquez of Lindenhurst; and several nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers; and two sisters. John was a graduate of Keokuk High School. John was a veteran of the United States Army, serving from 1954-1960. He served as a staff sergeant during the Korean Conflict. After the Army, John worked for 15 years at the Consolidated Aluminum Corporation in Shelbina, Mo as a distribution manager; then worked at Peoria Plastics for 19 years, until his retirement in 1998. John loved to hunt and fish. He also loved spending time with his family. He was deeply loved and will be truly missed.
