Shirley Pearl Best

Shirley Pearl Cooper Best was born in Buckingham County,Virginia on January 23, 1953 as the fourth child of Robert Cooper and Pearl Woodson Cooper.She joined a family that already proudly boasted two boys;her brothers."Woo" and Jake,and her sister,Sarah.The family later added another baby boy,Gordon.Many years later,her mother,Pearl Cooper was blessed once again with another daughter,JoAnna.Her sister JoAnna Cooper and her father Robert have preceded her in death.An unspeakable void was left in the Best family when in June 2004,Nechole answered God's call and went to her heavenly reward. Shirley,herself,entered into peace on Saturday,October 4,2008 after waging a gallant fight against sickness.In the end,she knew that God's will was truly the better way.Shirley attended Maggie L. Walker High School from which she graduated in 1971. She confessed Christ at an early age and was a member of Petersville Baptist Church in Buckingham County. Later,she joined Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church where she was a member until her death.Shirley would later meet and marry the love of her life,Charles Best. Their union has lasted more than 31 years. Their life was enriched and wonderfully blessed by their two daughters,Nechole and Charneeta.At the untimely passing of her daughter Nechole,Shirley and Charles opened their arms and welcomed their granddaughter,Kiara Liggons into their home where they cared for her until her health began to fail. Kiara is now being raised in the loving arms of her aunt,Charneeta with her husband,Rev. Marquette Hunter. The family is strongly united and will ensure that Kiara grows up in the admonition that God is sovereign and that she is loved. Shirley,along with the rest of the family,have done their best to ensure that Kiara is always aware that,though her mother and grandmother are now absent from the body,they would forever be with her in spirit.Shirley was the epitome of "thy good and faithful servant". She has worked one job for over 30 years as an Help Desk Analyst at the Medical College of Virginia in Hospital Information Technology. Even with her quiet demeanor she made some lasting friendships. Shirley was a strong minded woman who did not mind voicing her opinion. She did so in a quiet,gentle manner and did not offend anyone when she "put her foot down". When she smiled,you knew that it was coming from her heart. It became important to her to enjoy her family and the life that God had given her. Even though she was blessed to go anywhere and do anything,she told her family and friends that it was the time she spent at home with her husband and receiving visits from her family that she enjoyed most. Home certainly was where her heart was.Shirley leaves to cherish her memory and mourn her passing,her loving and devoted husband,Charles F.Best,Jr.;her daughter,Charneeta and her husband,Rev. F. Marquette Hunter;her twelve year old granddaughter,Kiara Liggons;her mother Pearl Cooper;her brothers,Deacon Robert and Deaconess Shirley,Jake and wife,Ovetis,Gordon and wife,Brenda Cooper;sister Sarah Cooper,along with her companion,Kevin Hannigan of NY. Also left to mourn her passing are two maternal aunts,Eloise Fowler and Annie Mae Agee;her sister-in-law,Antoinette Dickerson;nine nieces;four nephews;two devoted friends,Sandra Butts and Minister J. Emerson Parker;and a host of cousins,other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Shirley Pearl Best

January 23, 1953 - October 4, 2008