Jean Elizabeth Best

Jean Elizabeth Best was a loving mother, grandmother, sister, and friend who will be remembered for her quirky sense of humor.  She left this world after a short illness on July 25th, 2021, at the age of 68.

Born to Colonel Philip and Mary Sturdevant on June 24th, 1953, in Hillingdon, England, her family moved around the states during her youth, including Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Illinois, before settling in the Seattle area.  Jean loved to tell stories from her childhood about being terrorized by southern critters, showing horses, pet pigs, and produce you could eat straight from the farms. 

She attended the University of Washington, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree.  Jean worked for the King County Sheriff’s Office Communications Section for over 30 years, serving as the Operations Manager for 19 years before retiring in 2015.  Jean was known for being a kind and supportive manager who had an overwhelming love of the color pink, immediately evident when entering her office as all objects were pink and sparkly.  Since retirement, she has indulged in her favorite Hallmark movies, murder mystery novels, QVC shopping, and vacationing to Washington and Oregon coasts. However, everyone who knows Jean knows the highlight of her post-retirement life had been helping to care for her granddaughter, Mellie.

Jean loved to laugh and make others laugh. She had been an English major and loved all language-related humor, puns in particular.  Without a doubt she would bust out in a combination of laughing and crying when anyone had an attack of the hiccups no matter what the setting was. She also enjoyed creating picturesque looks by accessorizing thematically for the holidays with matching jewelry, purses, and Birkenstocks. Jean loved Christmas in particular because of the valuable time with family and would begin to buy presents from QVC and hide them away months in advance to ensure she had everything. Most of all, though, Jean was incredibly thoughtful and caring, and she is terribly missed.

She is survived by her brother Jack Sturdevant; sister and brother-in-law, Faith and Steve Jeffrey; daughter, Lauren Best; son and daughter-in-law,  Andrew and Venessa Best; cherished granddaughter Amelia Best; and rescue dog Pepper.

Please join us in celebrating Jean’s life Saturday, September 25, 2021, between noon – 3 pm at the Dining Hall at Beach Park Event Center in Des Moines, WA.  Jean requested this be an event to “Meet, greet, and celebrate. Have some laughs, remember me fondly, reminisce, and hug,” and in that spirit, the family requests guests wear pink.. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sam Hicks Emergency Relief Interim First Fund or Kidney Cancer Association

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