Vivian I. Best

NORTH HARTLAND—Vivian I. Best, 95, died Monday, Jan. 28, 2008 at the Mt. Ascutney Hospital & Health Center in Windsor.

She was born September 10, 1912, in North Chelmsford, Mass., the daughter of Walter and Nellie (Soucey) Gaudette.

She attended schools in Cornish, N.H., and West Windsor, and graduated from Windsor High School in 1931.

She married Clifford K. Best on March 31, 1933. They enjoyed life together for 69-1/2 years. They lived in Hartland Four Corners for 11 years. They bought a farm in 1943 and dairy farmed until 1972.

She worked as assistant town clerk and assistant town treasurer in Hartland from 1973-78. She also worked as a clerk for the town listers. She and her husband did some traveling during the 1980s. They sold their farm and moved to North Hartland in 1994. Her interests included embroidery, knitting, crocheting, vegetable gardening, flowers, plants and puzzles.

She was predeceased by her husband in 2002; and by both parents; two brothers, Arthur and Francis Gaudette; and two sisters, Lillian Gaudette and Florence Lobdell.

Survivors include two sons, Lloyd Best of Bethel and David Best of Meriden, N.H.; one daughter, Marilyn Young of Southwick, Mass.; one brother, Ernest Gaudette of Okeechobee, Fla.; three sisters, Mabelle Gaudette and Jean Brown of Windsor and Marion Knowles of Colchester; 14 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Friends may call at the Knight Funeral Home in Windsor this Saturday, Feb. 2, beginning at 1 p.m. Funeral services will follow at 2:30 p.m., with Rev. Lucia Jackson officiating. Burial will be at a later date in the Hartland Village Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hartland Rescue Squad, PO Box 403, Hartland, Vt., 05048.