Harold Lloyd “Buzz” Best
December 5, 1931 – November 22, 2024
Funeral services for Harold Lloyd “Buzz” Best, 92, of Cairo, GA, are at 11:00 a.m., Central Time, Monday, December 2, 2024, at First Baptist Church, Pensacola, FL. Interment will be 1:00 PM Central Time, in Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, FL. Mr. Best passed away at Archbold Living – Grady, Cairo, GA, on Friday, November 22, 2024.
Mr. Best was born on December 5, 1931, in Attalla, Alabama, to the late Odist Best and the late Mary Agnes Powell Best Jerkins.
After serving just under four years in the US Navy, Buzz returned to his hometown of Dayton, TN, where he met and soon married Avanell Trentham, a basketball player and FFA beauty queen at the local high school. He and Avanell celebrated their 71st anniversary in August of this year.
He attended Tennessee Tech and enjoyed a long and successful career in computer systems management as a civil service employee before transitioning to the private sector. His profession took his family to Birmingham, AL, Huntsville, AL, Las Cruces NM and Albany, GA. Buzz finished his career and retired in Pensacola, FL, where he served on the Board of Directors for Pace Water System.
He was a deacon at First Baptist Church, Pensacola, and was very active with Samaritan Hands ministry which provided food, clothing and financial assistance to homeless and needy in the Pensacola area.
He was an enthusiastic supporter of the baseball teams coached by his son in South Georgia, as well as all of the activities of his three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Survivors include his wife, Avanell Trentham Best of Cairo, GA; children, Bethany Barfield (Greg) of Gulf Breeze, FL and Ron Best (Jana) of Cairo, GA; grandchildren, Jayson Best (Alison) of Dallas, GA, Elizabeth Zuber (Chris) of Pensacola, FL and Sarah Odum (Blake) of Thomasville, GA; great-grandchildren, Lilly Best, Joyner Best, Noah Odum, Forrest Zuber and William Zuber; brother-in-law, Troy Trentham of Marietta, GA; sister-in-law, Ann Trentham of Huntsville, AL; as well as a host of nieces, nephews and other extended family.
The family would like to extend heartfelt appreciation to all the staff and caregivers at Abide Homecare, Camellia Gardens, Archbold Living-Grady, Gentiva Hospice and Archbold Hospice for all of the loving and devoted care they provided.